Tiruchy - A delegation of 40 teachers, including 10 women, from Tamil Nadu are scheduled to visit the schools in Malaysia and Singapore and swap their views with their counterparts under the Learning and Teaching Exchange Programme.
According to sources, the 40 teachers owing allegiance to the Tamil Nadu Elementary School Teachers` Federation (TESTF), on invitation from the National Union of Teaching Professionals (NUTP) in Malaysia and the Singapore Teachers` Union (STU) and Singapore Tamil Teachers Association (STTA) will participate in workshop and visit the schools in those countries.
Under the programme, the delegation, in eight groups of five each, will visit eight schools in Malaysia on Feb 29, March 1 and 2. "The delegation will study the teaching methodology, spoken and written Tamil, curriculum, educational pattern and administration of schools besides the salary structure of teachers and their problems", S Anbazhagan, General Secretary, Tamil Nadu Primary School Teachers` Association, told this website`s newspaper.
Similarly, the delegation invited by the Singapore Teachers Union and Singapore Tamil Teachers` Association will also visit the schools in Singapore on March 3 and study the above issues. On similar lines, a delegation of Tamil Language Teachers from Singapore had visited the schools in Tamil Nadu from Nov 3 to 8 last year.
By the end of the visit, the delegation would discuss with their counterparts and explore the ways for the development of Tamil language. The delegation had been selected from across Tamil Nadu, taking into consideration the members` willingness and talent in Tamil language.
However, not even a single teacher had been selected from Tiruchy and Karur districts. "The expenditure for this tour is to be borne by individuals. That is why; there is not much response from some districts.
However, the expenditure for the Singapore teachers during their visit to Tamil Nadu was borne by their government" Anbazhagan added. Under the programme, a delegation of teachers from Singapore is scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu in December 2008, sources added.
Source: www.newindpress.com (18 Agustus 2008)
