This document discusses the objectives and key activities of Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs) in India. CTEs were established following reforms to teacher education in 1986 to provide pre-service and in-service training to secondary school teachers. There are currently 104 CTEs with the objectives of building capacity of teachers and institutions, developing teaching materials, conducting research, networking between education organizations, and providing extension/resource support to secondary schools. The key activities of CTEs include teacher training programs, short courses, materials development, school-based research, forums for discourse, and adopting local schools to support.

1. Colleges of Teacher Education
(CTEs)
Dr. Sarita Sharma
Reader
CTE SARDARSHAHAR

2. Introduction
 The colleges of teacher education (CTEs) were established
following the National Policy on Education (NPE) 1986
 which states that Teacher Education is a continuous process
and its pre-service and in-service components are
inseparable.
 As a first step, the system of Teacher Education will be
overhauled.
 This led to a Centrally Sponsored Scheme which suggested
that about 250 existing Secondary Teacher Education
Institutes (STEIs) of an adequate standard and good
reputation be financially assisted, on a project basis, to
competently discharge their envisaged role.

3.  It was also recommended that 50 of these be designated
as Institutes of Advanced Studies (IASEs) as they had
an additional mandate of developing into centres of
excellence and research, while the other upgraded
STEIs would be called Colleges of Teacher education
(CTEs).
 There are 104 CTEs at present in the country (NCERT
Report Aug. 2009).
 The CTEs were meant to work in the field of secondary
teacher education – both pre-service and in-service.
 In addition, they also had the responsibility of carrying
out research, innovations, material development and
provide extension support to schools and other
professional bodies.


4. CTEs: Objectives and Key Activities
 Capacity building: of persons and institutions involved in
secondary education as well as capacity building of self.
 a. Of secondary school teachers - this would include pre-
service programs and periodic in-service education of
secondary school teachers.
 b. Of teacher educators preparing teachers for secondary
teaching - this would include pre-service programs for teacher
educators.
 c. Of Institutions - through capacity development and quality
monitoring of secondary and senior secondary schools ,
DIETS, and secondary education teacher preparation
institutes.
 d. Of Self - through greater interaction with IASEs, university
departments of education and leading NGOs.

5. 
Material Development for teachers, teacher educators
and children.
 a. Developing training modules for in-service training of
secondary school teachers.
 b. Developing short-term courses which act as self-
learning material for teachers and teacher educators.
 c. Developing materials (like workbooks, worksheets,
teaching aids etc) for use of children that is appropriate
in the context of the districts and give feedback to the
SCERT
 or Board on the nature of materials and assessment
practices used.
d. Developing reading material, handbooks etc for
teachers and teacher educators

6.  Research
 Research should be an integral part of the processes of
reflection needed around the school and classroom. In
time CTEs should not only equip themselves but also
help DIETs and teachers take on researches in schools
and classrooms. The CTE should:.
 a. help faculty at DIETs to undertake research as well as
help them guide teachers to do the same .
 b. guide a certain number of secondary school teachers
take on action research within their classroom.
 c. personally taking on school based researches
preferably grounded in their disciplines in secondary
classrooms

7.  Networking for building a bottom-up discourse on
education
 a. Putting together ideas generated by teaches and
disseminating them over a wider sphere.
 b. Setting up of forums and networks of teachers and
encouraging building up a discourse including of ideas
for teachers and teacher educators.
 c. Linking CTEs to the University departments of
Education, leading NGOs.

8.  Extension and resource support to secondary schools
 Visits to secondary schools should be well-planned and
faculty should have a clear idea how they want to extend
support to the teachers and children when they go to school.
 If possible two or more subject experts should go to school
together, such that it is possible for them to create linkages
among subjects.
 Some activities that might be fruitful during these visits are:
 Observing secondary classrooms and giving teachers
feedback on academic issues like content, pedagogy etc.
 Sharing reading material with teachers and also talking to
them about problems they are having in transacting
concepts.

9.  Taking note of the areas in which teachers need capacity
building.
 Guiding secondary teachers to take on action research.
 Encourage teachers to visit the CTE library.
 It is recommended that CTE faculty adopt 3-4 schools in
their work areas and help build them as model schools..