With a view to prepare the youth of the state for the challenges of the future through better education, the government has decided to take the services of retired experienced teachers as 'Shikshak Saathi'.
These teacher companions will be mentoring children in primary, upper primary and Kasturba schools run under Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Council. With the aim of promoting the quality of education in government schools, it is being started on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as per the intention of the prime minister under the Vidyanjali scheme run by the Government of India. Under this, preference will be given to retired teachers, and state and President awardees in the selection. With this decision of the state government, not only will the children of primary, upper primary schools get the benefit of learning from experienced teachers, but experienced teachers will also get a chance to serve by joining the government.
The objective of this scheme is to improve the teaching work in schools with the help of volunteers. Thus, for the purpose of providing additional academic support in schools, it has been decided to conduct cooperative supervision of schools through willing retired council teachers (Shikshak Saathi).
The government has also issued a mandate for this and has directed all the district magistrates to ensure that the information is made available to the state project office within a month while selecting the teacher partner.
Only those retired teachers will be selected as teacher companions who will have at least five years’ teaching experience as assistant teacher or headmaster in a council primary or upper primary school. Only those teachers will be allowed for this work, who are ready to become teacher companions till the age of 70 years.
Their main task will be to provide collaborative supervision to schools and enhance learning among children relative to learning outcomes. Apart from this, no other work will be taken from them.
At present, their number has not been fixed and all eligible and interested applicants can be included in it.
The tenure of the teacher will be of one year. The appointment will be renewed every year after approval by the district selection committee on the basis of performance appraisal. Permissible mobility allowance will be payable at the rate of Rs 2,500 per month to each teacher. No other allowance or honorarium will be given.
After selection the teacher partner will take charge in the district project office. The allocation of need based development blocks will be done by the district selection committee after block-wise assessment.
The teacher partner will have to compulsorily submit the action plan and tour programme for the next one month to the district basic education officer and the DIET (District Institute for Education and Training) principal by the 28th through the district coordinator's training.
At least 30 schools will be provided online supportive supervision every month through Prerna App. Children and parents will be motivated to use the Diksha and Read Along App. Children's prayer meeting, seating arrangement, use of time table, children's parliament, Meena Manch, library, sports activities, observation and model teaching will be demonstrated.