A study of district institute of education and training (diets) role in improving the knowledge and skill of in-service elementary school teachers

In-service training plays a crucial role in teacher’s development. The National Policy on Education, (1986) stipulated that “Teacher education is a continuous process and its pre-service and in-service components are inseparable.” UNESCO (1986) also stresses the importance of In-service education and observes, “In–service training is on the whole as effective as pre-service training, if not more so in its effect on quality”. Professional development of a teacher begins with Pre-service and gets renewed through In-service programs. It does not mean that there is a simple linearity between the two. There are elements of ‘change’ and ‘continuity’ in teacher education system, which necessitate renewal, and up gradation of skills and competencies. In-service courses are offered to teachers to upgrade knowledge and pedagogical skills. In-service courses are also offered to prepare teachers for new roles. It can be offered through long or short-term orientation or enrichment programs. The present study has been carried out to study of the role-played by DIETs in improving the knowledge and skills of in-service elementary school teacher’s. The main findings are: In-service training program organized by DIETs helped to improve the teaching learning process, refreshing knowledge and improving teaching skills among teachers. Majority of the teachers opined that the content covered during In-service training was appropriate and according to their need, these programs improve the communication ability and self confidence in teachers.