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New Delhi: Expressing
concern over the "poor quality" of teachers, Human Resource
Development Minister Kapil Sibal Tuesday said they needed to be
paid more to ensure quality education -- a point that was well
received by the teaching fraternity. Some teachers also felt that
low salaries were responsible for the coaching culture.
Speaking at a conference here, Sibal said teaching won't attract
talent unless teachers were given proper benefits.
"There is no uniformity in salaries of teachers. No medical
benefit, no house rent allowance, incentive or pension," he said.
"Even parents encourage their children to go for jobs that get
them liquid capital (money)... Unless we realise it is the most
important to invest in building human capital by educating
children, we can't do anything," he said.
Sibal's comment was welcomed by teachers in the national capital.
"I agree with the minister completely. Teachers get low salaries
so they have to look for other options," Delhi's Tagore
International School principal Madhulika Sen told IANS.
"It is because of this the culture of coaching has flourished.
Tuition system was not there earlier, but because teachers are not
paid well, they have to look for other options to earn money," she
said.
Jyoti Bose, principle of Springdale Public School, however, said
though salaries had increased, it was the glamour of corporate
world that took away the talent. "The global economy is such that
the young people are more attracted towards the corporate."
Nirmal Sonkar, who has been a teacher in a government school for
over 20 years, advocates a pool of resources for teachers,
something the HRD minister also advocated.
"Salaries in teaching profession have been better after the
implementation of the sixth pay commission. However, to add to the
talent pool of teachers, we need constant update mechanisms in the
profession," Sonkar said.
"We cannot involve youth in this profession unless we evolve and
update our obsolete education system. There should be evaluation,
seminars, interaction and more classroom-based powers with
teachers in government schools also. Increasing the salaries alone
will not do," she added.
Sibal Tuesday said a "pool of pedagogy" was needed to meet the
challenge of having quality teachers.
"Data banks with high quality teacher education material can be
set up which can be accessed by all. There is no system in place
to ensure life-long learning for teachers," the minister said.
"Globalisation of education is the reality of our times. We need
global commitment to the issue," he added.
The minister also said the national mission on teacher's education
being launched in the 12th plan had its focus on improving quality
of teachers.
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