15 lakh untrained teachers will be trained by 2019: Prakash Javadekar

Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said 15 lakh untrained teachers will be trained by 2019.

He was speaking after launching a Diploma programme in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) for the training of in-service untrained teachers here in Delhi.

"Teachers and quality education are the rights of the students. Innovation and best practices will ensure that the best minds are able to innovate in the country and therefore NIOS has taken a step in this direction to get engaged at the grass root level," Javadekar said.

Emphasizing on the government's commitment towards improving the education system, Javadekar announced that approximately 15 lakh untrained teachers will be trained by March 31, 2019.

The teachers will also get a diploma after the successful completion of the course, he said.

He also informed that in the first year of SWAYAM launch, India has made a world record in online training, and added that there will be no further extension for the training programme after March 31, 2019.

Upendra Kushwaha, Minister of State for HRD (School Education and Literacy) who was present at the launch appreciated the efforts of Prakash Javadekar and NIOS towards reforming the education sector.

The programme is designed for all in-service untrained elementary teachers of untrained government/ government aided/ Private unaided recognized schools.

It is an initiative in Online and Distance Learning (ODL) mode by National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for upgrading the professional competence, and information and communication based capacity building for teachers.

With an objective of enhancing quality of education, NIOS has been focusing its attention on the quality and excellence in the training aspects of the in service teachers of government/ government-aided/ private unaided recognized schools across the country.