How Upskilling Teachers Can Support India’s 360-Degree Vision For The Education System

The classroom requires new tools, and when technology is applied within this paradigm, schools can operate more efficiently.

The National Education Policy 2020 envisages the importance of teacher training.

Source : Getty

By Skand Bali

The advent of digital transformation has brought many disruptive changes across the education sector. While the technology must be the driving force to create equilibrium, there is a need to rethink the overall strategy for education. High learning and standardisation in the teaching processes are the need of the hour.

Traditional methods of teaching and curricula are no longer at the centre of education as it is becoming more learner-centric. The classroom requires new tools, and when technology is applied within this paradigm, schools can operate more efficiently. Electronic grade books, smartboards, digital assessments, and now AI-generated lessons can all make teaching a more sustainable profession. 

The transformation of chalkboards into whiteboards and PowerPoint presentations is already being witnessed and while students have a plethora of material to access through web sources and social media, to provide quality education, students require proficient guides as well. 

Therefore upskilling teachers is the most important challenge faced by the education sector today and professional training of teachers is an important step towards bridging the gap between teachers and students.

The National Education Policy 2020 envisages the importance of teacher training to ensure continuous professional development to stay academically updated, map students’ performance, identify skills and provide a holistic environment for students during their learning journey.

According to the New Pearson’s Skill Outlook report 2023, themed Employee View, nearly 88% of workers in India expect to continue upskilling throughout their careers.

Teachers are one of the most significant workforces in the nation, as the transformation of our education system depends on the skills and qualities of our educators, thus a focused action plan is needed at every level. 

Policymakers must focus on low and high-tech solutions to train teachers and pedagogical leaders. Professional training can include byte-size learning modules to provide practical advice on remote learning along with an individual focus on teachers’ needs so that they can provide effective support. 

Soft Skills Upgradation

Teachers often lack the essential soft skills required to perform their job effectively. Soft skills like leadership and compassion are required to communicate with students, parents, and other stakeholders. Stress management, time management, social and emotional intelligence and resilience are essential skills for teachers to deal with challenges like the performance of students, lesson planning and classroom management. 

Comprehensive teacher training will not only enable the teachers to understand and respect differences but also create a safe, inclusive and welcoming classroom for every student. These training programs will enable the teachers to collaborate with other professionals to further make education more inclusive. 

Professional Retreats

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs under NEP, state that the teachers will be given continuous opportunities for self-improvement, to learn the latest innovations, attend workshops as well as online teachers’ development modules.

Schools must organize professional teacher retreats driven by the interests of teachers, where they can get the latest updates about the education reforms such as arts-integrated, sports-integrated, and storytelling-based approaches. 

The effectiveness of the retreats and training can be monitored and evaluated, with the usage of grade-appropriate tools to assess the practical skills, knowledge, and effectiveness of teachers. Such tools would encourage greater research and innovation in teaching, thereby improving proficiency and learning outcomes.

Upskilling teachers would not only make classrooms a better experience, but it’ll also create a large pool of skilled teachers, who think independently in terms of teaching techniques and be at par with the West by making India one of the largest education systems.

The author is Principal, The Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet.

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