4th International Policy Dialogue Forum

"Teacher Challenges for EFA in India"

The main characteristic of the New Delhi forum was that it gave attention to teacher issues in India, yet did so under a global perspective.

The shortage of teachers has been identified as a crucial factor in the success of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in India (Education for All). With the growing emphasis on quality education and the Universalisation of Secondary Education (Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan-RMSA) foreseen as a priority after 2015, the need to address a wide range of teacher-related issues is a pressing priority. The National Curriculum Framework (2005) and the Right to Education act (RTE) that came into force in April 2010, has furthermore emphasized the need to address both the qualitative as well as quantitative aspects of the teacher deficit.

The following five sub-themes constituted the substance of the debates:

1. Continuing professional development for teachers;
2. Decentralization: challenges and steps forward;
3. Feminization of the teaching force;
4. Public-private partnerships to address the teacher gap;
5. Monitoring & Evaluation of teacher policy reforms.

The national authorities showed a keen interest in this meeting and made sure that teachers and administrators at central and state levels participated in the conference. Recommandations on each of the five themes were adopted for consideration by the national government and by the Task Force at global level.

On the fringe of the Policy Dialogue Forum held in New Dehli, an experts meeting on teachers was also organized by the E9 countries.