(a) the data regarding student- teacher ratio in early child education in the country; and
(b) whether the Government has taken any steps to improve teacher training in early child education and if so, details thereof;
(c) whether these programmes are voluntary/ compulsory; and
(d) if so, please provide data of teachers enrolled therein?
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)
(a) to (d) As per UDISE 2017-18, the average of student –teacher ratio at pre-primary level is 29. The Department of School Education and Literacy has launched a National Mission 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.
As on 31st March 2020, 23000 key resource persons and around 17 lakh elementary teachers have been trained across states and UTs in face to face mode. Due to COVID-19 challenges and in order to improve pedagogical competencies and to provide continuous leaning opportunities to the teachers at the elementary level, this Department has launched NISHTHA online training using DIKSHA platform in October 2020 and around 21 lakh teachers have been enrolled for undertaking NISHTHA online training. NISHTHA training has also been extended to build the capacities of teachers for foundational literacy and numeracy.
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