(a) the purpose of NISTHA (National Initiative for School Heads’ Teachers’ Holistic Advancement) Scheme;
(b) whether the NISTHA scheme is compulsory for all teachers and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the courses available under this scheme; and
(d) the number of teachers who have been trained under the said scheme?
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) & (b): The Department of School Education and Literacy has launched an initiative to improve learning outcomes at the Elementary level through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme called NISHTHA – National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha in August 2019. The aim of this training is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students, handle diverse situations and act as first level counsellors. Education is in the Concurrent list of the Constitution of India. However, all the states and UTs, except Kerala and West Bengal, have participated in NISHTHA training.
(c) & (d):Due to COVID-19 challenges and in order to provide continuous learning opportunities to the teachers at the elementary level, this Department has launched NISHTHA online using DIKSHA platform in October 2020 to reach out to elementary teachers and its further extension to all as well.
NISHTHA online on DIKSHA platform covers 18 courses in 11 languages.Teachers are oriented onvarious aspects related to Learning Outcomes, Competency BasedLearning and Testing, Learner-centered Pedagogy, School Safety and Security, Personal-social qualities, Inclusive Education, ICT in teaching-learning including Artificial Intelligence, Health and well-being including yoga, new Initiatives in School Education including library, eco club, youth club, kitchen garden, School Leadership qualities, Environmental Concerns, Pre-school, Pre-vocational Education and School Based Assessment in a joyful learning manner. Till 31st March 2020, 23000 Key Resource Persons and around 17 lakh elementary teachers were trained across states and UTs in face to face mode. Around 24 lakh teachers have completed NISHTHA online training at elementary level till June, 2021.
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