Gandhinagar, Aug 19 (IANS) The Gujarat Council of Educational Research and Training (GCERT) has launched state-wide training for all Class 3 to 8 teachers on the use of the newly-developed ‘Teacher Edition’.

The training, which began on August 18, will run until September 29, 2025, in a blended format, both online and offline, at taluka-level centres, as per official information.

The ‘Teacher Edition’ has been designed to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 directly in classrooms.

With subject-specific versions prepared by GCERT, the editions aim to equip teachers to nurture 21st-century skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and digital literacy among students.

The training emphasises innovative teaching methods, practical approaches, and digital literacy.

Teachers are not only being introduced to the Teacher Edition but are also experiencing classroom simulations through group work, demonstrations, and activity-based modules.

Launching the programme, Education Minister Kuber Dindor and Principal Secretary Mukesh Kumar extended best wishes to the teachers.

Minister of State for Education Praful Panseriya, through a video message, urged educators to prepare students for ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ and make effective use of the state’s Gunvatta Abhiyan (Quality Campaign).

GCERT Director P.K. Trivedi, along with senior education officials, stressed the need for teachers to stay updated with contemporary practices and use the Teacher Edition to enhance classroom quality. The editions are available on GCERT’s website and the DIKSHA portal.

By offering practical, student-centred training, the state hopes to transform classroom practices and align teaching with the broader reforms in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment envisioned by NEP 2020 and NCF 2023.

In its 2025–26 fiscal budget, the Gujarat government allocated a substantial Rs 59,999 crore to the Education Department, the second-largest share after finance, reflecting a strong commitment to modernising education in line with the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision.

Key investments include Rs 2,914 crore for upgrading over 25,000 classrooms under the Mission Schools of Excellence, Rs 1,250 crore for the Namo Lakshmi Yojana (girls’ education), and Rs 782 crore under the RTE Act to support students in private schools.

The budget further earmarked funds for higher education infrastructure – like Rs 175 crore for AI labs and Rs 100 crore for the new Gujarat Institute of Technology – as well as major scholarship and welfare schemes including Gyan Sadhana, Gyan Setu, MYSY, and Namo Saraswati, alongside recruiting over 22,000 teachers to improve quality and access across the system.

–IANS

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