NISHTHA programme: HRD Minister launches online teachers training scheme

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Nishank Pokhriyal launched the first online NISHTHA programme on July 16 for 1200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh. Pokhriyal said in a video statement that around 23,000 Key Resource Persons and 17.5 lakh teachers and school heads have been trained under this NISHTHA face to face mode till date but online mode became indispensable due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Union Minister said that the sudden lockdowns affected the face-to-face mode of the programme, so the online mode has been introduced to train the remaining 24 lakh teachers and school heads. NISHTHA has been customized for the online mode to be conducted through DIKSHA and NISHTHA portals by the NCERT. 

The Key Resources Persons will help in the mentoring through NISHTHA portal and training will include text modules and videos along with Live sessions by National Level Resource persons on #SwayamPrabha TV channels. Pokhriyal said that the online module has been made interactive and engaging for the joyful learning of the teachers and school heads to motivate them for implementing the same in their classrooms.

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'Important to sensitise teachers'

Sanjay Dhotre, Minister of State for HRD, was also present at the launch where he talked about the fast-evolving world and the need for the teachers to constantly upgrade their world view, understanding, and methods of teaching. He added that our in-service teacher education system must be sensitive to the feedback from the teachers. 

Dhotre highlighted the importance of teachers being actively sensitised towards the diversities of the country, only then children can become sensitive to the huge and different diversities is of this vast nation. He further added that technology can't replace good teachers, but good teachers assisted by technology can do wonders in transforming education. 

“Under the visionary leadership of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi we are committed to ensure value-based quality education assisted by technology for realising Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he concluded.

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