Role of Teacher Training Program in Enhancing Quality Education

Education is the first and foremost requirement for all the other fields of nation. Teacher is the pilot of the whole education system. So it is very necessary for every nation to develop competent teachers for the formation of the future generation through teacher training program. Excellent, skilful, qualitative and competent teachers are necessary for shaping the future generation. Quality teacher education training program is an ultimate need of the hour in our nation in building an army of good citizens to face the future challenges of the world. Number of research studies, reports and committees identified-lack of needed teacher competencies in present teacher training programme. Quality of education in present educational system gets permeable due to lack of updated competency formation and training. A teacher is supposed to teach not only the syllabus but also life skills and values which enable the students to find out good path in the society by distinguishing the right and wrong and to treat equally in the society. Every nation designs its teacher training programme with definite plans and policies. An attempt is being done through this paper to explore the draw backs of present teacher training programme on the basis of 21 st century demands. The present paper tries to put light into the role of teacher training programme to make well equipped and competent teachers of 21 st century for enhancing quality education at present scenario.


Introduction
Quality education is the strength of every nation that is assured by competent teachers. A teacher educator is a person who helps other people to acquire the knowledge, competences and attitudes they require to be effective teachers. American Education in the 21 st Century in 1996 [1], Clinton indicated that: Every community should have a talented and dedicated teacher in every classroom. We have enormous opportunity for ensuring teacher quality well into the 21st century if we recruit promising people into teaching and give them the highest quality preparation and training". So teacher training programme has a crucial role in enhancing the quality education through competent and efficient teachers. Teacher training programme has to be updated to generate 21 st century teachers. Teacher education or teacher training refers to the policies, procedures, and provisions designed to equip (prospective) teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school and wider community. Quality of the work undertaken by a teacher has significant effects upon his or her pupils or students. Role of teachers as transmitters, inspirers and promoters of man's eternal quest for knowledge are important. Present teacher training programme shows its ups and downs in forming competent teachers according to the needs of the hour which give a healthy space for the development of modern teacher competencies such as tech-savvy, social concern competency, etc. Many commissions and studies specified the importance of quality enhancement of teacher training programmes. Ultimate of teacher training program is to create a group of committed like army who protect an atmosphere of democratic principles in our nation. Henceforth every teacher educator is supposed to facilitate a healthy rapport with student-teachers without any sort of discrimination on the basis of caste, colour etc., which can create number of healthy teachers on our nation with sound personalities.

Importance of Teacher Competencies for Quality Enhancement of Education
Quality Education means that educational enhancement through pedagogically and developmentally sounds education system and educates the student in becoming an active and productive member of society. Teacher training programme can generate well-equipped teachers who can promote quality education by producing quality learners, maintaining quality learning environment, updating Quality Content, technological assisted Quality Processes and intended Quality outcome according to the demand of the time.
Teacher has an important role in improving education quality. Educational quality can be enhanced only by competent teachers who are the assets of every nation. So each and every nation designs the teachers through well-formed teacher training programme. Teacher training institutes are demanded by 21 st century as dynamic centres of progressive educational movements for quality development of national education. Many studies and committees have emphasised the eminent role of teacher and teacher competencies according to the needs of the time for quality education.
Teacher education is being defined by The National Council for Teacher Education [2] as a programme of education, research and training of persons to teach learners from pre-primary to higher education level. As per The Kothari Commission [3] the professional preparation of teachers has been recognized as crucial for the qualitative improvement of education. Understanding 'quality' as the soul of teacher education training, the Commission suggested the start of "integrated courses of general and professional education in Universities. According to Marcella Momanyi [4], Teacher quality may be defined in different ways including Creating a classroom environment that encourages all students to participate in useful learning activities; Ability to motivate low achieving learners to participate in class and attain high academic achievement; Possession of excellent skills in mentoring new teachers acting and stabilizing forces to minimize high turn over.
Even Chattopadhyaya Committee National Commission on Teachers (1983-85), envisioned the new teacher as one who communicates to pupils "the importance of national integrity and unity, the need for a scientific attitude, a commitment to excellence in standards of work and action and a concern for society." The National Policy of Education [5] too documented that "teachers should have the freedom to innovate, to devise appropriate methods of communication and activities to the needs, capabilities and the concerns of the community." The Yashpal Committee Report [6] demands the need of nurturing critical thinking and self learning in the teachers through teacher training programme.
As per NCF teachers are being posed as crucial mediating agents through which curriculum is transacted [7]. Textbooks are designed to develop conceptual understanding, an adequate knowledge-base, secular values and social sensitivity and teacher should take the learner to the abode of knowledge bythe inclusion of locally relevant content in the curriculum as well as pedagogy-Role of Community knowledge in education into question. NCFTE [8] states that teacher is a "facilitator who encourages learners to reflect, analyse and interpret in the Process of knowledge construction." Teacher education is a programme that is related to the development of teacher proficiency and competence that would enable and empower the teacher to meet the requirements of the profession and face the challenges therein.

Draw Backs of Present Teacher Education Programme
NEP clearly mentioned that there has been a steep rise in teacher shortage, lack of professionally qualified teachers, and deployment of teachers for non-educational purposes [9]. Further, teachers will not be allowed to participate in any non-teaching activities (such as cooking mid-day meals or participating in vaccination campaigns) during school hours that could affect their teaching capacities.
According to Balbir Singh Jamwal, main issue is that teacher-education is memory based i.e. there is no active involvement of students, so we are lacking in the development of life skills among the students [9], which are essential for all round development of students. Pradeep Kumar and Sugandha Azad (2016) through article found insufficient quality research, lack of quality teachers, poor motivation of prospective teachers, inadequate infrastructure, and supply driven system as challenges of present training programme.
According to Balbir Singh Jamwal [10], Main issue is that teacher-education is memory based i.e. there is no active involvement of students, so we are lacking in the development of life skills among the students, which are essential for all round development of students. Pradeep Kumar and Sugandha Azad [11], through article found insufficient quality research, lack of quality teachers, poor motivation of prospective teachers, inadequate infrastructure, and supply driven system as challenges of present training programme. According to the study of Laxman Singh & Mohd Shakir [12], lack of professional development, low salary of teachers, lack of training in ICT, inadequate focus on research and innovations, infrastructural constraints, Disproportionate Demand and Supply of Teachers, Apathy towards Innovative Methods of Teaching, Segregation of Teacher's Education Department disintegrate the teacher training programme. Mohit Dixit [13], opined that problem of selection of teacher, Problem of supervision of teaching, Faulty methods of teaching, Lack of proper facilities, inadequate empirical research, Lack of facilities for professional development, Insufficient financial grant degrade the quality education.
D. R. Goel and Chhaya Goel [14], quality crisis, rare human and professional teachers, poor integration of skills, alienated and incompatible mode of education, little contribution to higher education, domain pedagogy mismatches, identity crisis, rare innovations, inadequate technology infusion, poor research scenario, non-scientific manpower planning, illusive laboratories are the barriers in the quality enhancement.
Some of the existing training program centres do not provide adequate opportunities for the student teachers to develop competencies because the organizers of teacher's training program are not aware of the existing problems of the schools. Poor integration of skill development, separated and unsuitable modes of teacher training programme are hurdles in the quality aspects. There is plethora of teachers without any planning to make equilibrium between the demand and supply of teachers. Normally teacher educators do not go for providing creative and innovative assignments to student-teachers. The training schedule does not give any space for student-teacher freedom, reflection, critical thinking and creativity more than directions of the teacher educators. There is little or no opportunity for study for the student-trainees.

Suggestions to Modify the Role of Teacher Training Programme for Enhancing Quality Education
Suggestions for the modification of teacher training programme's role in enhancing quality education are segregated under different heads such as planning, execution, evaluation, trainers (teacher-educators), trainees (student-teachers), infrastructure, nature of training (blend of theory and practical), etc, that are briefed below: a) Planning: 1) Teacher trained programme should be updated from time to time by reading the signs of the hour. 2) Knowledge should be developed through a sound balanced system of teaching giving do importance for theoretical and practical classes should be reorganized 3) Adequate provisions of funds for improving the teacher training program according to the demands of 21st century should be made planned. 4) Since there is a confusion with respect to period of teacher training like 2 years or 4 year integrated, there should be perfect instruction of time span with regard to teacher training programme all over the country 5) Since aptitude test can decide the ability and interest of the aspirants, entrance exam should be mandatory for all candidates before the start of training. b) Execution: 1) Special innovative programs like web based teaching, virtual class, mobile based learning should be implemented. 2) There should be a healthy space of teacher competency developmental for self-learning, reflective thinking, act of assimilation and accurate implementation of new ideas; critical evaluation, interactive sessions in groups. 3) Importance should be given for pedagogy, observation, documentation, analysis, drama, craft, story-telling and reflective inquiry which can strengthen the depth of competencies. 4) Due importance to be paid for constitutional rights and duties as well as democratic principles, opportunities to have sound knowledge on policies, programmes, practices and schemes of government. c) Evaluation: 1) Fair and non-partial assessment and evaluation should be insured in every training institute. 2) Information, Media and Technology Skills should be utilized for accessing and Analysing Information. d) Teacher-educators: 1) Good rapport with the colleagues/staffs, students should be established. 2) Teacher educators should be trained in tune with 21st century demands to ensure the quality of education system in training programme. 3) Regular enrichment programmes can be preferable organised to enhance the knowledge of teacher educators. 4) Since healthy teachers are the asset of a healthy democratic nation, teacher-educators should treat all the student-teachers as equals without any biased interest like caste, creed, colour, etc. 5) Special preference should be given to unprivileged students due to any social background with regard to education, opportunity, etc. e) Student-teachers: 1) Curiosity and Imagination should be nurtured among student-teachers. 2) Student-teachers' participation in scholastic and non-scholastic activities should be given due importance. 3) Commitment and responsible concerns towards society and fellow beings to build a better world should be cultivated. 4) Development of professional skills such as healthy attitude, broad based interest and values, Commitment and service mentality should be given adequate emphasis. 5) Technological taste should be fostered among the student teachers. f) Infrastructure: 1) An institution should be competent enough with regard to digitalised facilities for quality training. 2) Provisions for Acquaintance of Technologies with regard to telecommunications, satellite access, networking, the internet, videoconferencing and digital components, optical technology which will permit the 21st century teacher in the 21st century classroom feel comfortable and teach effectively and efficiently should be facilitated. g) Training 1) Teacher training should be blended theory and practical with an intention of developing mastery over the content. 2) Amble opportunities for Field-based projects must be given preference. 3) Student teachers should be trained to face competitive exams such as teacher eligibility test, teacher recruitments. 4) Training should be moulded with an intension of Sustainable development. 5) Group Presentations should be facilitated to foster strength teaching skills in groups. 6) Special attempt to be made to have a forum for interaction and sharing. 7) Provide amble opportunities to make out the pulse of the class room situation and trends of students through internship programme. 8) Teacher training programme should be incorporated with guidance and counselling, follow up activities, etc., for good result. 9) Life Skills [15] such as communication and interpersonal skills, decision-making and problem-solving, creative thinking and critical thinking, self-awareness and empathy, assertiveness and equanimity, or self-control, resilience and ability to cope with problems ought to be better nourished through training programme in the lives of student-teachers. 10) Adequate training could be given to student teachers for adopting suitable interactive and effective teaching methodologies while dealing with the content and subject.

Conclusion
Quality teacher education training program is an ultimate need of the hour in our nation to build an army of good citizens for enhancing the quality education. Teacher is an architect of nation as well as the lives of the future citizens. Well-trained teachers are vital for quality education. On the other hand, teachers who have not received the sufficient pedagogical training to teach are appointed to teach students today. To create good, excellent, skilful and competent teachers are necessary for shaping the future generation. A teacher is supposed to teach not only the syllabus but also life skills and values which enable the students to find out good path in the society. Present teacher education training system is in capable of generation the competent teachers according to the demands of 21 st century. Role of teacher training programme is an at most important factor in developing a sustainable nation. He/she should help the students to develop personally and professionally to become the good asset of the nation. Number of commissions and committee have identified the space for 21 st century teacher competencies in the present training programme and prompted the significant factors to enhance the teacher training programme to improve the quality education. The teacher education training program which is designed with an effective learning environment for learning, participating in all the activities and updated syllabus enables student teachers to train the future generation in a better way. Identification of draw backs of present teacher training programme will enlighten the need of 21 st century competencies for quality enhancement of education.