Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji
Panaji, Apr 11: In a revealing insight into the state of teaching competencies in Goa’s government schools, a recent training report has highlighted how several high school teachers scored alarmingly low marks in Class X-level math and science assessments, with some math teachers securing as little as four marks out of 100.
The teachers — 80 in total, comprising 40 science and 40 math educators — underwent intensive residential training at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in June last year as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) implementation.
During a pre-training assessment modeled on the Class X question paper, the average math score stood at 22.1, while science averaged at 26.1. Shockingly, 32 teachers scored between 0 and 35, with the lowest math score recorded at four and science at nine.
According to the training report, one of the primary concerns was that most of the science teachers did not have a background in math or physics during their BSc courses. "In most high schools, science is taught by teachers who studied chemistry, botany, and zoology — not physics or math. This is clearly visible in their pre-test result, as they scored less than 5% in physics and less than 10% in basic math,” the report pointed out.
To address this glaring gap, the teachers were subjected to rigorous 10-hour training days over 11 days, performing over 90 experiments. The curriculum covered syllabi from Classes VIII to X and included targeted sessions: four days on physics with basic math, and another 2.5 days on chemistry and biology.
The post-training results, however, showed remarkable improvement. The average math score jumped from 22.1 to 72.4, and science improved from 26.1 to 76.7. The report noted, “The post-test results clearly suggest that the teachers are indeed talented and, with proper guidance, can enrich their subject knowledge and in turn educate their students more effectively.”
Despite the significant progress, a few teachers continued to score below 50%, with one math teacher scoring just nine marks even after the training.
The IISc report detailed a systematic training method, including three lectures a day, hands-on problem-solving sessions with in-house tutors, and regular quizzes to assess learning retention. Teachers were also given time for doubt clearing and revision before the final post-test evaluation.
While the training has helped bridge a crucial gap in content mastery among government school teachers, the findings underscore the urgent need for continuous professional development and stricter academic qualification norms for teaching positions in the state.