Bhubaneswar, June 22: A think tank is in place to provide strategic and technical support to consolidate teacher education initiatives.

Think Tank - Teacher Education (TTTE) is a state government initiative with the support of the Unicef.

The state government's move aims to make a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the existing teacher education system in the state. It also aims to help the teacher training bodies, including the directorate of teacher's education and the state council of education research and training, work effectively.

The joint review mission, which had visited the teachers' training institutes in the state in March, identified various issues in the systemic, institutional and academic process in the teacher's education system.

In its report, the mission said that despite significant developments, the state's teacher education system remains relatively stagnant.

"These institutes are still functioning in their traditional method that results in identity crisis," read the report.

It also identified the absence of decentralisation and devolution of power and authority among these institutes for making effective decisions.

The mission also reported that the educators' understanding of the recent developments in the field of education, pedagogy, curriculum, research, and innovation was limited and superficial.

However, with the formation of this committee, it can be hoped that the link between teacher's training institutes and institutions for higher education and research would be strengthened.