Four-Year Integrated Teacher Education Programme to include courses on Yoga, Performing and Visual Arts, Sanskrit, Yoga and Physical Education

Though schools have music teachers, physical education teachers, dance teachers and yoga teachers who have learnt these subjects conventionally as academics and practice under a guides. To have pedagogically sound and trained teachers in these areas, The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has launched following four new Integrated Teacher Education Programmes (ITEP) in tune with NEP-2020.

1. Yoga,

2. Performing and Visual Arts

3. Sanskrit, and

4. Physical Education

The pupil teachers will be trained with both theory of these subjects as well as their pedagogy and practice through lesson plans. The teachers who are currently in schools lack both the theory and practice while teaching students

The NCTE has designed the courses for pre-service teaching of four years for specialization as pedagogically sound teaching subjects. The specialization in teaching performing and visual arts will will emphasize art-integrated learning across all subjects.

The physical education teachers will also learn sports psychology, sports science, sports technology and biomechanics under the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP). The teacher training colleges have been asked to revamp their infrastructure to include yoga labs, play fields, art studios and theatres if they seek recognition for these courses.

Furthermore, the credit assessment system will be implemented in ITEP to facilitate inclusion of modules on Indian Knowledge System as the 40% of credits to the theory and 60% to practicum.

According to the NCTE, the four-year integrated program aim to address the shortage of specialist teachers in schools and promote holistic student development by preparing teachers for the NEP's four stages of the new school education structure popularly called the 5+3+3+4 scheme.

However, the NCTE is silent on the capacity building of the teacher educators in the newly introduced four courses