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Unit 30: NCF for Teacher Education (2009)

General Council of the NCTE while approving it in principle after detailed deliberations. As per Notes
direction of the Council, a small group of experts comprising of Prof. C. Seshadri, Prof. A.K.
Sharma, Prof. Shyam B. Menon, Prof. Poonam Batra and Ms. Anjali Noronha was entrusted the
task to improve the Framework in the light of suggestions made by the members.
The document was subsequently posted on the NCTE’s website for feedback. A number of experts,
practitioners and institutions including Prof. Krishna Kumar, Director, NCERT; Dr. Chongchong
V. Shimray, University of Florida; Dr. Rohit Shetty, University of Michigan; English and Foreign
Languages University; DIETs; Azim Premji Foundation; Mr. Bhamy Shinoy and others shared
their considered views and perceptive comments which helped us in further improving the
Framework.

30.3 The Changing School Context and its Demands
A teacher functions within the broad framework of the school education system – its goals,
curricula, materials, methods and expectations from the teacher. A teacher education curriculum
framework needs to be in consonance with the curriculum framework for school education. A
teacher needs to be prepared in relation to the needs and demands arising in the school context,
to engage with questions of school knowledge, the learner and the learning process. The
expectations of the school system from a teacher change from time to time, responding to the
broader social, economic and political changes taking place in the society.
School education has seen significant development over the decades since independence. Regional,
social, and gender disparities continue to pose new challenges. This reality increases the challenge
of implementing the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act and, in particular,
the role and place of the school teacher.
In addition, the NCF requires a teacher to be a facilitator of children’s learning in a manner that
helps children to construct knowledge and meaning. The teacher in this process is a co-constructor
of knowledge. It also opens out possibilities for the teacher to participate in the construction of
syllabi, textbooks and teaching-learning materials. Such roles demand that teachers be equipped
with an adequate understanding of curriculum, subject-content and pedagogy, on the one hand,
and the community and school structures and management, on the other.

According to the Government of India estimates while 82 per cent of the 20 crore
children of the 5-14 age group were in school as per enrolment figures1, nearly 50
per cent of these children drop out before completing class. One finds the situation
on the ground ridden with difficulties.
Self Assessment

1. Fill in the blanks
(i) .................... for teacher education elaborates the context, concerns and vision underscoring
that teacher education.
(ii) The curriculum of teacher education is broadly dealt with under foundations of education,
curriculum and pedagogy and ....................... .
(iii) The ............................. is visualized to act as catalyst to change the profile of teacher education
so that the .................. become active.
(iv) The teacher is a .................... of children learning.

30.4 Present Teacher Education Scenario

The unprecedented expansion of teacher education institutions and programmes during the past
few years characterizes the teacher education scenario of today. With increasing school enrolments

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