India to set up Malviya Commonwealth Chair for education

India will set up the Malviya Commonwealth Chair for cross border teacher education that will focus on curriculum development, student assessment, pre-service and in-service teacher training.
The announcement in this regard was made by Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani at the 19th Conference of the Commonwealth Education Ministers held at Nassau, the Bahamas from June 22 to 26.
The conference which deliberated upon Quality Education for Equitable Development was attended by the education ministers of 38 Commonwealth countries.
Irani has made five major offers which were readily embraced by all the participating countries, an official release here said today.

Irani said that India would set up the Malviya Commonwealth Chair for Cross Border Teacher Education which will focus on issues pertaining to curriculum development, pedagogy, student assessment, pre-service and in-service teacher training and capacity development.
The HRD minister also proposed to set up a Commonwealth Consortium for Research which can function in collaboration with the Commonwealth Education hub and provide cross funding for research projects which member nations deem appropriate.

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamlesh Sharma commended India for its generosity in coming forward with innovative ideas and practical financial support for increased Commonwealth collaboration on teacher education and research.

He said that "the establishment of the Malviya Commonwealth Chair and the Commonwealth Consortium of Research are immensely valuable. They were warmly welcomed by Ministers as demonstrating India's deep and continuing commitment to the Commonwealth of which it is a founding member."
Irani announced that India would provide its e-Learning platform SWAYAM to host e-courseware developed by Commonwealth of Learning.
In addition, she also proposed that India would post digitised materials of Commonwealth countries on its soon-to-be established national e-Library.
Her contention about strengthening of public institutions to bring about qualitative improvements in education at all levels was greatly appreciated by the member countries.

These specific announcements of the Union Minister became the part of Nassau Declaration which was unanimously adopted by the member countries.