Changing Context of Teacher Education Indian Scenario

The teacher is the most important element in any educational program. It is the teacher who is mainly responsible for implementation of the educational process at any stage. This shows that it is imperative to invest in the preparation of teachers, so that the future of a nation is secure. The importance of competent teachers to the nation's school system can in no way be over emphasized. This article deals with the evolving role of the teaching profession and the role of teacher networks in response to changing skills needs in society. It argues that teachers can be the main agents of change for reforms of education, provided that they are well supported and enabled to do so. Recently, various teacher networks have emerged at the local and international scale, and questions around their role in supporting the teachers, both in their Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD), have been raised. In this paper I outline the urgency of changing context of teacher education in the Indian scenario and the policies needed to ensure qualified, well-prepared, and effective teachers for every student.