BIS Mumbai
BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE # 3259
THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION (RTE) ACT - CHALLENGES FOR TEACHERS
Teacher-Mrs. Joyce D’mello Fernandes
NERUL-NAVI MUMBAI, DECEMBER 06, 2012 : A Seminar on the Challenges for Teachers with reference to the RTE Act was held 
for the Staff of Don Bosco Senior Secondary School, Nerul, on November 26, 2012 in the AV Hall of the School. The speaker, Mr. Freddie Pereira, the Founder and Director of Excel Gurukul of Human Values Educational Trust, was introduced and welcomed by the Principal, Fr. Anthony Fonseca, SDB. The Manager, Fr. Bonnie Borges was also present for the Seminar.
Mr. Pereira began the seminar by asking the teachers the differences they observed between the teachers of the twentieth century and the twenty first century. Besides the obvious differences in methods of teaching and inclusion of technology, the most important difference was that Values are missing in education today. Mr. Pereira attributes this to the fact that teachers today may be technically or academically qualified and are entering the profession for the income, which may even be a secondary income. Hence, the passion for teaching is lacking.
Also, many are making a business out of Education. Schools are being opened with a view to make money and not with the aim to educate. Therefore the monetization of Education is the foremost culprit in the lack of Values in the system and thereby in the students.
Challenges for Teachers in the Twenty First Century:
The Education system today, with its stress on academics, is without proper Value Education. The reasons for this are manifold, besides the pressure of finishing the syllabus and the supposedly main subjects. Parents too do not have enough time to inculcate values, and there is no proper content for Value Education in schools.
Unfortunately, we are bringing up a ‘characterless society’.
The challenges for Teachers with the implementation of the RTE Act.
Mr. Pereira stressed that every teacher must read the RTE Act and thereby familiarizes himself/herself with every aspect of it. One of the thrusts of the Act is letting children of the lower income strata of society enter mainstream education. This is bound to cause a cultural clash which will have to be eventually handled by the teacher.
The Act will make the Educational Institutions transparent and accountable.
The biggest challenge that teachers of the twenty first century will face is DISCIPLINE.
Handling students with Indiscipline Problems:
Mr. Pereira suggested that teachers use the following tips to handle students with Indiscipline problems.
- Identify the right student.
- Isolate the student from the support group.
- Inquiry is to be left to the appointed Counsellor.
Before ending the session Mr. Pereira answered a few questions from the teachers.
Fr. Principal summed up the talk by saying the primary job of the teacher is to teach and they should also use diplomacy in handling difficult situations in class.
Finally, teacher Joyce thanked Mr. Freddy Pereira for his insightful and enlightening seminar.
I feel that the days when teachers joined the profession treating it as a vocation and when the students treated their teacher with the utmost respect are both becoming a thing of the past.
Whatever be the reason, it is essential that educators keep abreast with the times and hence maintain the students’ interest in the class.
In conclusion I feel that the maxim that Don Bosco gave us stating that we “love what the young love and they will love what we love” holds much weight in this frivolous and ever-changing world.
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