A two-day national workshop titled “Re-Imagining Teacher Education: The ITEP Pathway to Professional Excellence” was inaugurated at University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) on Friday.
The workshop was organised by the PQH School of Education with support from IQAC, USTM, bringing together eminent academicians, policymakers, teacher educators, and researchers to deliberate on innovative pathways for strengthening teacher education in India.
The inaugural session commenced with a welcome address by Prof. G.D. Sharma, Vice Chancellor of USTM, who highlighted the importance of transforming teacher education in alignment with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020 and emphasised the significance of the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) in developing competent and future-ready educators.
The session featured insightful addresses from distinguished speakers, including Prof. Ibadani S. Syiem, Head of the Department of Education at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), and Dr Syed Abdul Moin, former Joint Director of SCERT Bihar, who shared their perspectives on curriculum reforms and effective teacher preparation models.
The guest of honour, Prof. Binod Kumar Tripathi, former Director of IUCTE at Banaras Hindu University and former Joint Director of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), delivered a thought-provoking address emphasising the integration of theory, practice, and research in teacher education.
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Mohammad Akhtar Siddique, former Chairperson of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), who elaborated on the transformative potential of the ITEP model in ensuring quality teacher preparation nationwide.
The participants also received a special video message from Prof. Pankaj Arora, Chairperson of NCTE, New Delhi, who appreciated USTM’s initiative in promoting dialogue on teacher education reforms.
Almost over 500 teachers across the Northeast joined the workshop in both online and offline modes.
The workshop will continue over two days with technical sessions, discussions, and academic deliberations aimed at exploring innovative strategies for strengthening teacher education and professional development in India.
Established in 2011, the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) is the first state private university in the field of Science and Technology in North East India.