DISTRICT INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION AND
TRAINING (DIET)-
A BRIEF SKETCH
District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) is a nodal agency for providing academic and resource support at the grass- root level for the success of various strategies and programmes undertaken in the areas of elementary and adult education. with special reference to Universalisation of Primary Elementary Education and National Literac), Mission (NLM) targets with regards to functional literacy in 15-35 age group. DSETs are the special institutions established with the special aim of improving priary education.
.1 THE BEGINNING OF DIET Until the adaptation of NPE 1986. academic and resource support in the area of elementary education was being provided largely at national and state levels only by institutions like NCERT. NIEPA and SCERTs. Likewise in the area of adult education. the support was provided by the Central Directorate of Adult Education at the national level and by State Resource Centres at the state level. Below the state level. there were elementary teacher education institutions. but their activities were confined mostly to pre-service teacher education. 27 District Institute qt Education and Training Quality of education is substantially affected by the quality of teacher training. This. in turn. depends upon the stature and status as well as the role and functions of teacher education institutions. The physical. human and academic resources of most of the teacher education institutions arc inadequate. even for the role of pre-service teacher education. By the time of adaptation of NPE in the year 1986 elementary and adult education systems were already too vast to be adequately supported by' national and state level agencies alone. The NPE categorically called for further expansion together with considerable qualitative improvement. The NPE and PoA accordingly envisaged addition of a third district-level tire. to the support system in the shape of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET). DIETs were being established with the financial support from the Central Government in pursuance of NPF 86. The basic transaction approach of the DIET is placing the learner at the centre to make education a joyful, innovative and satisfying learning activity. rather than a system of rote and cheerless. authoritarian instruction. In the case of Adult Education programme Functional Literacy should be imparted to adults in a participative. learner-active mode.
SPECIAL TARGET GROUP OF DIETs
'To promote-equality. it will be necessary to provide for equal opportunity to all not only on access. but also in the conditions for success' (NPE, 1986). The concept of national system of education envisages access for all students, irrespective of caste. creed. location and sex. to education of comparable quality. The DIETs in all aspects of their work. would have to give primary attention to promotion of education of the following groups:
(1) Girls and women.
(2) Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe.
(3) Minorities,
(4) Handicapped.
(5) Other educationally disadvantaged groups. working children. slum dwellers. inhabitants of hilly. desert and other inaccessible areas etc.
3 THE GOALS OF DIETs
The following goals are expected to be achieved by the DIETs:
( I) Provide leadership in innovating pre-service primary teacher training.
(2) Contribute to development of quality learning materials for primary education.
(3) Carry out innovations for improving the functioning of primary. schools.
(4) Conduct in-service training programmes to primary school teachers.
5.Carry out field base empirical studies to improve the primary schools.
6. Train functionaries in NFE and Adult Education.
7.Provide support to district authorities in planing in Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE) .The guideline proposes to give adequate functional autonomy-academic,administative and financial.
4.STRUCTURE OF DIETs
A BRIEF SKETCH
District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) is a nodal agency for providing academic and resource support at the grass- root level for the success of various strategies and programmes undertaken in the areas of elementary and adult education. with special reference to Universalisation of Primary Elementary Education and National Literac), Mission (NLM) targets with regards to functional literacy in 15-35 age group. DSETs are the special institutions established with the special aim of improving priary education.
.1 THE BEGINNING OF DIET Until the adaptation of NPE 1986. academic and resource support in the area of elementary education was being provided largely at national and state levels only by institutions like NCERT. NIEPA and SCERTs. Likewise in the area of adult education. the support was provided by the Central Directorate of Adult Education at the national level and by State Resource Centres at the state level. Below the state level. there were elementary teacher education institutions. but their activities were confined mostly to pre-service teacher education. 27 District Institute qt Education and Training Quality of education is substantially affected by the quality of teacher training. This. in turn. depends upon the stature and status as well as the role and functions of teacher education institutions. The physical. human and academic resources of most of the teacher education institutions arc inadequate. even for the role of pre-service teacher education. By the time of adaptation of NPE in the year 1986 elementary and adult education systems were already too vast to be adequately supported by' national and state level agencies alone. The NPE categorically called for further expansion together with considerable qualitative improvement. The NPE and PoA accordingly envisaged addition of a third district-level tire. to the support system in the shape of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET). DIETs were being established with the financial support from the Central Government in pursuance of NPF 86. The basic transaction approach of the DIET is placing the learner at the centre to make education a joyful, innovative and satisfying learning activity. rather than a system of rote and cheerless. authoritarian instruction. In the case of Adult Education programme Functional Literacy should be imparted to adults in a participative. learner-active mode.
SPECIAL TARGET GROUP OF DIETs
'To promote-equality. it will be necessary to provide for equal opportunity to all not only on access. but also in the conditions for success' (NPE, 1986). The concept of national system of education envisages access for all students, irrespective of caste. creed. location and sex. to education of comparable quality. The DIETs in all aspects of their work. would have to give primary attention to promotion of education of the following groups:
(1) Girls and women.
(2) Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe.
(3) Minorities,
(4) Handicapped.
(5) Other educationally disadvantaged groups. working children. slum dwellers. inhabitants of hilly. desert and other inaccessible areas etc.
3 THE GOALS OF DIETs
The following goals are expected to be achieved by the DIETs:
( I) Provide leadership in innovating pre-service primary teacher training.
(2) Contribute to development of quality learning materials for primary education.
(3) Carry out innovations for improving the functioning of primary. schools.
(4) Conduct in-service training programmes to primary school teachers.
5.Carry out field base empirical studies to improve the primary schools.
6. Train functionaries in NFE and Adult Education.
7.Provide support to district authorities in planing in Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE) .The guideline proposes to give adequate functional autonomy-academic,administative and financial.
4.STRUCTURE OF DIETs
In order to facilitate suitable structure to implement the innovative concept of DIET.Sevan academic branches have been suggested.
I. Pre-Service Teacher Education (PSTE)
II. Work Experience (WE)
III. District Resource Unit (DRU)
IV. In-service programmes. Field interaction and Innovation and Coordination (IFIC)
V. Curriculum Material Development and Evaluation (.CMDE)
VI. Educational Technology (FT)
VII. Planning and Management (P&M)
(Form Soudh Ganga- A research work)
II. Work Experience (WE)
III. District Resource Unit (DRU)
IV. In-service programmes. Field interaction and Innovation and Coordination (IFIC)
V. Curriculum Material Development and Evaluation (.CMDE)
VI. Educational Technology (FT)
VII. Planning and Management (P&M)
(Form Soudh Ganga- A research work)
