Sikkim makes BEd, TTC mandatory

Nirmal Mangar, TT, Gangtok, Jan. 2: The state human resource development department today said BEd and Trained Teacher's Certificate (TTC) would be made compulsory for teachers at private schools from the coming academic year.

Sources in the HRD department said there were 450 registered private schools in Sikkim with around 1,600 teachers and more than 70 per cent of them didn't have BEd or TTC.

G.P. Upadhaya, the principal secretary of the HRD department, today said: "We are enforcing the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, from the academic session starting next month. We will alow private schools to appoint only those with BEd and TTC as teachers."

The official, however, said the teachers who had already been recruited would be asked to secure BEd or TTC through correspondence within three years of them joining the service.

"There may be many teachers who wish to study the courses through distance learning while being in service and the government is ready to help them get admission. Officials of the HRD department will be visiting private schools in all four districts," said Upadhaya.

He said only qualified teachers would be appointed at government schools if there were vacancies.

Till now, whenever vacancies arose at government schools, those without required qualification were taken in as ad hoc teachers. Sikkim has 750 government schools with 12,000 teachers.

However, the principal of a private school here said it was difficult to find a teacher with required qualification. "We are trying our best to recruit teachers with BEd or TTC. But qualified candidates are few. Soon, we would form an association of private schools and approach the government, seeking suggestions on appointment," said the principal who didn't wish to be named.