Poor pass percentage in the recent Diploma in Education (DEd) supplementary examinations reflect the dire need for revamping the two-year programme. Less than half of the students who appeared for the examinations conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) in January managed to pass.
A mere 3,367 of the 6,802 first year students who appeared for the supplementary examinations passed, with the pass percentage clocking not even 49.50. The tale of woe does not end there: only 2,449 of the 6,032 second year supplementary students passed, with the pass percentage of 40.60.
As of now, DEd candidates with PUC qualification are eligible to teach up to class 7. Many believe this restriction demotivates students. “There are three reasons. One, the DEd curriculum is more demanding than BEd. Second, DEd students lack language skills. Third, there is little motivation for students in terms of salary,” said Principal of MES Teachers’ College Dr H S Ganesha Bhatta.
A second-year student from a private college who wrote the June-July final examination said the first change has to come in the DEd syllabus. “The second-year syllabus is a repetition of the first-year. We don’t like studying theory and we focus on practicals,” said the student.
Once RTE Act comes into effect, eligibility for DEd teachers will change. With classes 1-8 being grouped as primary education, those with PUC and DEd can teach only till class 5, while those with a degree and BEd can teach classes 6, 7 and 8. The remaining classes till class 12 can be taught by postgraduate BEd teachers.
DEd Curriculum Review Committee Chairperson Dr K Sameer Simha said the bias towards candidates from English medium resulted in decrease in the quality of DEd candidates. “We find that city schools do not take Kannada medium DEd candidates. Hence, quality of teaching took a hit.With the new curriculum, the government must provide them rigorous training,” he said.
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