Teachers uneasy over new test

Visakhapatnam: The proposed computer-based ‘Training Needs Identification Test’ for school assistants has thrown them into a tizzy over the last few days. Many government teachers are apprehensive over the objective of the test and left wondering whether the TNIT results may be used against them at the time of promotions or increments.

Several private school managements are also reluctant to go ahead with the test. Claiming that the TNIT scores help them design better training modules and plan for adaptive training sessions, the education department has planned this test to equip the teachers with certain skills to implement the common Summative Exams pattern introduced in 2015. AP Private Schools Association chairman K.S.N. Murthy said the majority of teachers were armed with the skills needed for teaching and evaluation for the ‘Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation’ system. “Besides Internet outages, there were many pressing issues for the teachers due to this test. They may have to travel long distances for the sake of this proposed online examination. We request the government to arrange a refresher course spread over two to three days to teachers without conducting the TNIT,” he said. The test has general knowledge, current affairs, classroom management, concerned subject questions up to Class X, higher skills, methodology and pedagog.

The test would be commenced from August 20 in all districts. SC/ST Upadhya Sangam AP president Samala Simhachalam said there was a concern among the government school assistants over the TNIT as to how the results would be interpreted. “The teachers were selected only after passing the TET as well as DSC. But now the government planning to conduct another test is an aimless task. We heard that the New Education Policy-2016 mandates this test for teacher promotions. We request the government to scrap this examination and switch over to the earlier methodology,” Mr Simhachalam said.