Director of NCERD Mohandatt Goolsarran said since its introduction, this course has seen tremendous success. He told the Government Information Agency (GINA) press release that the course aims at building teachers content in order to aid their delivery of these subjects at the secondary level.
The 18-month course which is delivered mainly through distance education requires teachers to sit an examination at the mid-point of the course followed by an assessment that is administered simultaneously in all regions at the end of the course.
Teachers are provided with assignment booklets and textbooks and they work from about 16 modules. Hinterland teachers who cannot access the National Communications Network signal will have copies of the programme supplied to them on DVDs.
Goolsarran pointed out that the examination has already been administered and the results have been encouraging. He said about 18 Mathematics and 120 English teachers are enrolled in the course. He noted later this year the course will also include science subjects: Physics, Chemistry and Biology and Information Technology.
Additionally, in 2002 NCERD introduced a Certificate in Education Management course which lasts for 18-months. Already about 1000 teachers have been trained in this course. This course also allows credits to be counted for appointments as head-teacher. Currently 600 teachers are enrolled. The course is also delivered through the Distance Education mode. Recently, NCERD added an e-learning component to the course so that teachers can access it online.
