Guru Nanak Dev University will start new Teacher Training courses for Special Students

Amritsar : Guru Nanak Dev University declares to start Teacher Education programmes for special students and for inclusive environment. School of Education at Guru Nanak Dev University has developed state of art facilities for running B.Ed special education (Multi Disability) and Integrated Four Years Teacher Education Programmes for Training teachers and ready to start various teacher education courses in face- face, online and blended mode.There has been dearth of special educators in Punjab as there is not even one centre who is training teachers for special students, and governments have already mandated to all schools to have at least one special educator in each school. This initiative is taken keeping in view centre as well as state government’s commitment to equity, access and quality principles of education policies. In this conext, MOU between Department of Education of Guru Nanak Dev University and Pehal Government Resource Centre (Special School) and Government Senior Secondary School, Karampura, Amritsar is signed in the presence of Prof Jaspal Singh Sandhu Vice Chancellor, GNDU, Prof Hardeep Singh, DAA, Prof K S kahlon, Registrar, Dr Preet Mohinder Singh Bedi, Director University Linkage, S. Dharminder Singh Gill, Distt. Coordinator & Incharge, Pehal Govt Resource Centre, Karampura, Amritsar, S. Ashishinder Singh, Distt. Social Security Officer, Amritsar, Prof Amit Kauts and Dr Deepa Sikand Head, Department of Education.During the Interaction, Vice Chancellor Prof Jaspal Singh Sandhu shared his vision of launching new courses for catering to the need of scarcity of trained and proficient teachers in handling diversity and thereby making inclusion in schools a success.
While signing the MOU, Prof K S Kahlon, Registrar GNDU said that this MOU is signed Keeping in line with the essence of NEP-2020 to ensure equity and inclusion in education, and to extend cooperation in the area of special and inclusive education.Prof (Dr) Hardeep Singh, Dean Academic Affairs affirmed that this MOU would provide impetus to the inclusive education in this region and provide teachers with the knowledge and practices they need to teach in mainstreaming the children with special needs. The focus of this collaboration would be to prepare accomplished and humane teachers who help the students rise above their limitations and can attain their professional and personal goals.Speaking about the partnership, Dr. Amit Kauts, Project Director, School of Education, GNDU, said that this agreement underlines our commitment to support children with special needs and will also serve the purpose to further strengthen our programs, leading us towards our goal to provide professional teachers to enhance quality education for the children in special and inclusive settings. As a part of the MOU, the students of Special Education from the Department will visit the schools for internship which is designed to provide hands-on experience to students and an ability to address the real challenges faced in various facets of special and inclusive settings in schools.Dr. Deepa Sikand, Head, Department of Education, GNDU, informed that the state government has already given No Objection Certificate in this regard, and the department is committed to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure and would organise workshops/seminars to enhance the professional competencies of the teachers working in these schools.Dr. Preet Mohinder Singh Bedi, Coordinator University Industry linkage Programme at GNDU had facilitated this MoU event and concluded the event with a hope that education department would work in collaboration with the partner schools to devise innovative pedagogical strategies to achieve the desired learning outcomes by actively engaging the learners.