Madhya Pradesh Govt partners with IIM Indore to create video-based training modules for teachers

In a first of its kind initiative in the country, the MP government has tied-up with IIM-Indore to develop as many six training modules which will enable 3.07 lakh school teachers of Class I to Class XII in the state to skillfully manage their time, stress, and self — with the overall aim of enhancing the quality of their pedagogical prowess.

The training module comprising seven minutes each 12 videos (two each in each of the six modules) will focus on enhancing teachers’ skills in three prime concern areas -- time management, stress management, and self-management. All these videos are likely to be sent to the teacher across the state via the WhatsApp messenger service as well as the school education department’s existing CM Rise digital training program portal.

“While the existing CM Rise digital teacher training programme of our department was aimed at providing video classes for teachers to digitalize their training concepts and enhance their teaching skills before the school reopens, the innovative training modules developed in partnership with IIM-I aims at helping teachers manage their time, stress and self. These modules developed in cooperation with IIM-I will be shortly launched by the school education minister,” state’s principal secretary (school education) Rashmi Arun Shami said.

Each of the training modules includes a pre-read material ensued by a six-minute video and post-read material followed by a multiple-choice questions-based exam, passing which will see the school teachers of the state turn IIM-I certified school teachers.

“This is the first of its kind initiative in the country by the MP government in partnership with our institute. It’s the culmination of six months of exhaustive work by our team here, which began with the detailed survey of 39,000 teachers to ascertain the multiple problems being faced by them. We hope that this exercise ultimately brings a positive change in the behaviour and efficiency of government school teachers in MP and ultimately has a cascading effect on the overall quality of school education in the state,” IIM-I Director Prof Himanshu Rai said.

The dedicated team head by the IIM-I Director and comprising faculties, Prashant Salwan, Shruti Tiwari, Raina Chhajer, Vaijayanthee Anand, and Ajit Phadnis conducted a detailed survey of 39,000 school teachers across MP to ascertain various key areas of their behaviour, spanning from their general health status and psychological well-being to satisfaction of work and from time management to stress and self-management.

The results of the survey were crucial, particularly as they reflected the general behavioural trend, particularly owing to the multiple pressure and roles performed by them along with the fulfilment of their family responsibilities.

The survey’s outcome was particularly concerning as just around 12% of male teachers and 8% of female teachers were satisfied with their general health status, while 32% of surveyed male teachers and 30% of female teachers had favourable psychological well-being. Over 35% of male teachers and 30% of female teachers were highly satisfied with their work, while 51% of male teachers and 56 pc female teachers were able to plausibly manage their time.