M A I L B A G

B.Ed teachers for primary schools

The suggestion for appointment of B.Ed teachers in primary schools is illogical and against pedagogical principles. The present B.Ed graduates produced by understaffed and ill-equipped Colleges of Education are sub-standard in many ways and have been hurriedly prepared for secondary schools only.

Child psychology, management techniques and pedagogical requirements of small children like teaching techniques are different from those needed for grown up children. The B.Ed teachers have had no exposure to teaching small children during their course and teaching skill sessions. Moreover, they don’t understand the problems of small children nor did they have any course in B.Ed colleges on such issues.

The problems faced by primary schools like the increasing drop-out rate, students’ absenteeism, mid-day meal programme, pre-admission enlistment and enrolment of children, single-teacher primary schools, one-class-one-teacher teaching system etc have never been discussed in B.Ed colleges.

Surprisingly, though the preparation of ETT teachers is a fully funded Central scheme, Punjab is facing financial crisis. The B.Ed teachers in primary schools feel that they are underemployed and hence unable to give their best.

Dr T.R. SHARMA, Patiala

Untrained teachers

The NCTE has recently recommended appointment of lectures in B.Ed colleges without M.Ed/ Masters degree in Education. Similarly, a Principal can be appointed without Ph.D in Education. How can unqualified persons be appointed to teach B.Ed classes?

It would lower the training in B.Ed colleges. If the teacher himself is ignorant, how can he do justice to the students? Rabindranath Tagore once said a lamp cannot light another lamp until it continues to burn itself. Similarly, for a Principal, a Ph.D in Education along with M.Ed should be the essential qualification as laid down in the NCTE notification. All the Vice-Chancellors of universities and eminent educationists must be consulted before implementing the NCTE’s recommendations.

Principal P.P. SINGHAL, Bhikhi (Mansa)

Lame excuses

V. Eshwar Anand’s article, “Reforming the police: States can’t dilute apex court’s directives” (Jan 2) elucidates some state governments’ lame excuses for implementing the police reforms. Who cares for the ordinary citizen when criminals enjoy the support of the politicians, the bureaucrats and the police? This nexus has vitiated the system.

Clearly, the crime rate can be reduced if there is no political interference in the police administration. I am also for a fixed tenure for those holding operational posts. It can be a minimum of two years and maximum of three years.

In his article, “Policing the police: States should not see police reforms as a threat” (Jan 3), S. Vijay Kumar rightly says that the District Magistrate’s functional role in policing, especially during elections and law and order problems, has to be defined properly. In certain states, the District Magistrate has to clear the SHO’s transfer. Independent state security commissions in all states can look into such issues.

O.P. GARG, Patiala