Data | Only 1 in 4 teachers in India trained to teach online classes

There were wide disparities among States, with Gujarat training 57% of its teachers while M.P. training only 9% of them

July 17, 2021 01:35 pm | Updated November 27, 2021 04:08 pm IST

Teachers of Chennai Corporation are teaching students online and also recording videos of lessons

Teachers of Chennai Corporation are teaching students online and also recording videos of lessons

The COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to stop physical classes and shift to online teaching . This move has highlighted two concerns: how well teachers are trained to take classes online; and the pupil-teacher ratio, which determines the quality of education. According to UDISE 2019-20, only one in four teachers in India was trained to use a computer for teaching. The share of such teachers was even lower in government schools. Also, there were wide disparities among States, with Gujarat training 57% of its teachers while M.P. training only 9% of them. While most States had an acceptable pupil-teacher ratio, the ratio was above the recommended value in some States, especially in higher education. While a high pupil-teacher ratio is a concern even during physical classes, its importance has only increased with online teaching.

Inadequate training

The table lists the % of teachers trained to teach with a computer in India. Only 15% of teachers were trained to teach using a computer in schools managed by the government. Though the share was relatively high among private schools, only one-third of teachers who teach higher grades were trained to teach online. The types of management listed in the table cover 95% of the teachers in the country.

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State-wise comparison

Only 3% of government school teachers in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha were trained to teach with a computer. In contrast, in States such as Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra, more than 50% of teachers were trained to teach online. The share of trained teachers was higher in private schools in general. However, in a few States such as Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of the Northeast, the share of such teachers was lower across managements.

Pupil-teacher ratio

The chart shows the State-wise pupil-teacher ratio (number of students per teacher) across education levels. According to the Education Ministry, an ideal pupil-teacher ratio should be around 30:1. While it was within this range for most States, the raito was more than 40:1 in higher secondary schools in Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and U.P. Bihar's ratio was more than 50:1 for primary, secondary and higher-secondary classes.

Observations:

■ Only 15% of government school teachers in India were trained to use and teach using a computer as opposed to 30% and 31% of teachers in government-aided and private schools, respectively.

■ The difference in the share of trained teachers between government and private schools was more than 30% points in States such as Jharkhand, Goa and Karnataka.

Also read: Pandemic pains force teachers to seek greener pastures

 

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