The Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University has decided to revise the curriculum for Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) and Master of Education (M.Ed.) programmes in order to improve the quality of teacher education, according to Vice-Chancellor G.Visvanathan.
Talking to journalists on the sidelines of the fourth convocation of K.L.N. B.Ed. College here on Monday, he said the revised curriculum would be hosted shortly on the university's website for feedback from academicians and others. It would be adopted after incorporating necessary amendments.
The curriculum was being revised in view of the dismal performance of B.Ed. graduates in the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) conducted by the Teachers Recruitment Board on July 12 last year. Though a total of 7,14,526 candidates wrote the test, only 2,448 managed to clear it.
Shocked by the results, the Board on October 14 conducted a supplementary test, which was taken by 6,43,095 candidates, of whom only 19,261 got through.
In January this year, the Madras High Court had taken note of the results of the two tests and come down heavily on a few teachers for seeking to overlook the new rule that stipulates that government job aspirants should clear the TET.
The absence of employment opportunities to over 70,000 teaching graduates passing out every year from 685 teacher education colleges in the State could not be a reason to give ignore merit while considering them for appointment in government schools, the High Court had said.
Stating that the proposed changes in the curriculum would set right the deficiencies in the existing system, Mr.Visvanathan said: "It would make sure that students who pass out of our university in the future would be able to come out with flying colours in any kind of assessment," he said.
Asked about the outcome of show-cause notices issued by the university recently to 25 teacher education colleges following complaints of poor infrastructure, inadequate teaching staff and collection of exorbitant fees, he said: "You will get to know the outcome in the course of this week."
He blamed a lack of skills among teachers for the poor salaries offered by private schools.
"There are many institutions that offer handsome salaries with attractive perks. But they require skilled and capable candidates. Teachers must understand that," he said.
K.L.N. College's management committee president K.N.K.Ganesh and Principal Uma Maheshwari also spoke.
