DIET Tikabali, Kandhamal:
The Education Commission (1964-66 ) had observed that “Of all the factors that influence the quality of Education………….the quality, competence and character of teachers are undoubtedly the most significant”. But these in turn depend substantially on the quality of training and other support provided to the teachers. Until the adoption of the NPE the academic and resource support to the teachers in the area of elementary education was being provided largely at the national and state levels only by institutions like NCERT and SCERTs. Below the state level, there were elementary teacher education institutions but their activities were confined mostly to pre-service teacher education. The NPE and POA envisaged addition of a third- district level tier to the support system in the shape of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs). With this, expectation would be of wider qualitative coverage as well as qualitatively better support as these institutes would be closer to the field, and therefore more alive to its problems and needs.
DIET,Kandhamal At- Tikabali serves as a training institute for the district of Kandhamal. Kandhamal is a backward district of Orissa having highest Tribal Population. Tikabali is about 39 Kms. away from district headquarter of Phulabani. It is a block headquarters in the jurisdiction of Panchayat samiti of Tikabali on the state road plying from Berhampur to Phulabani having Bus communication. Tikabali is situated just beneath a series of rock with sal jungle and ancillary small forest items having a cool temperature throughout the year excepting a few days in summer. From the annals of the past it is apparent that in the year 1914, a High school was established in this campus, which was shifted to G.Udaygiri later on; it is the age old Hubback High School. Instead an Elementary Training School (E.T. School, Tikabali) started in this place up to the year 1979. In the said Year E.T School was converted to secondary Training School, Tikabali. Fortunately, the educational atmosphere of this place attracted many educationists; the said ST School, Tikabali was upgraded to DIET, Phulabani at Tikabali in the year 1989.
As per the NPE (1986) and DIET guidelines the DIET Tikabali has also undertaken its mission as “To Provide academic and resource support at the grass root level for the success of the various strategies and programmes being undertaken in the areas of elementary education”.
DIET is to work as central academic institute at district level. It has to take the responsibility to improve the quality of education at elementary level as per apex institution and monitors BRCC and CRCC but establishes strong relationship among BRCC, CRCC and schools also. The followings are some of the major areas where DIET has to work:
Academic guidance and counseling
Academic resources material
Academic support and extension services
Educational innovation and experimentations
Educational planning, monitoring and evaluation programme
Training needs assessment of the service in-service teachers, BRCC, CRCC etc.
Developing and managing training design
District level training, competitions, workshops, seminars, conferences and exhibitions
Train teachers to provide with a better and interactive means of education to people
DIET, Tikabali has been providing its function in three ways:
Elementary Teachers Training (Both pre-service as well as in-service)
Academic Resource support ( Extension / guidance, development of materials, aids, Evaluation tools etc) and
Action Research & Innovation
As per the Guideline of MHRD, this institution is having seven departments in all. They are
PSTE- Pre-service Teacher Education
WE- Work Experience
DRU- District Resource Unit
IFIC- In-Service Programme, field interaction, Innovation and Coordination
CMDE-Curriculum, Material Development and Evaluation
ET- Educational Technology
P & M- Planning and Management