Salt Lake: Teachers of state-aided secondary schools with BEd degrees will have to complete a six-month bridge course to become eligible to teach students till Class V.

The school education department recently issued a notice to the heads of all state secondary schools asking them to allow such teachers to complete the course immediately.

The decision was taken based on a National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) directive.

The council regulates teacher education in the country.

The NCTE is against allowing teachers with BEd degrees to teach students till class V because the BEd syllabus doesn't cover child psychology and pedagogy, an education department official said.

But it is elaborately explained in the diploma in elementary education (DElEd) meant for primary teachers, the official said.

"A teacher who is engaged to teach till Class V must have a comprehensive idea about child psychology," he said. "A considerable portion of the bridge course aims to train teachers with BEd degrees in that and pedagogy."

The NCTE has made it compulsory for every teacher to have the diploma in elementary education in order to be eligible to teach at the primary level - between classes I and V.

In Bengal, since Class V is a part of the secondary section in most state-aided schools, teachers with BEd degrees teach fifth standard students.

In most other states, Class V is included in the primary section and only teachers with diploma in elementary education are allowed to teach students.

"The NCTE had earlier asked the Bengal government to make Class V a part of the primary section. This is not possible because relocation would require huge funds to set up infrastructure in schools," the education department official said.

"The NCTE has now asked the government to arrange a six-month bridge course for teachers."