The education department is all geared up to implement Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s plan to open five model schools in every block of the State. As part of the preparations, the State Institute of Educational Management And Training (SIEMAT) is conducting training sessions of master trainers who in turn would train the teachers of the schools selected as model school.
With an aim to develop some schools as centre of excellence for others to follow, the CM Rawat has conceptualised these schools which would be set up in every block. The education department plans to take three schools under elementary education (Primary and Upper Primary schools) and two schools under secondary education and develop them as model schools. In all a total of 475 schools in the state would be taken up under the project.
The department would implement smart class room concept in these schools. Apart from academic excellence students would be prompted to excel in some selected sports in these schools. The education department intends to setup vocational educational units and career guidance cells in the model schools.
The Additional Director, SIEMAT, S B Joshi told The Pioneer that 40 master trainers are undergoing extensive five day training in Dehradun from Monday. These master trainers are selected from teachers of District Education Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) and senior lecturers of schools. He informed that these trainers are given lessons on concept of model schools, school improvement plan, office management plan, effective classroom teaching, financial processes and audits. “These master trainers would provide training to the teachers of model schools at five centers. These are Dehradun, Nainital, Almora, Pauri and Tehri. We have also prepared an exhaustive training module for them and dates of the training for teachers of model schools would soon be decided’’ said Joshi.
The education department intends to make some of these schools residential in the second phase. Faced with severe criticism from various quarters for deteriorating standard of education and falling student number, the state government mooted model school and residential school concept. The department plans to provide best infrastructure and teaching facilities to the students in these schools which would be opened in every part of the state. Students and teachers from the schools having less enrollment would be shifted to these residential model schools once they are fully operational.