Protesting teachers want TTIs merger with edu faculties

KABUL (Pajhwok): Teachers at Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs) staged a protest rally outside the Wolesi Jirga building in Kabul on Monday, asking the government to promote TTI level up to bachelor and create a new administration ‘High Teacher Training Institute’.

Fardin Bahavi, one of the protesting teachers, said the Ministry of Education (MoE) had no effective strategy to improve education and was implementing short term strategies.

He said they offered two different strategies to the MoE for improvement of learning sector but none of the strategies was implemented.

HumayonKhwishaki, another teacher, said the country’s TTIs had the capacity to offer graduate level teachers to the nation only.

He suggested that the TTIs and the Education Faculty should be merged as teachers of the two faculties could provide quality education up to graduate level in the country.

He asked the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) to appoint experienced teachers in the centre and provinces.

Another teacher Sabawon said all TTIs should be promoted to the Higher Training Institution and allowed to serve graduate level students.

He also demanded the merger of TTIs and Education Faculties in centre and provinces under the supervision of MoHE.

He warned to expand their protest if the government did not respond in a positive manner.

Wolesi Jirga members Abdul QadirQalatwal, NoriaHameedi and Mehdi Rasikh visited the protesters and assured them of full support.

But Najiba Aryan, MoE spokesperson, said teachers’ role had been expanded according to the new strategy, adding that besides teaching in centres, the teachers would be asked to teach in schools as well.

Nh/ma