Introduction
The B.Ed Primary Program was launched in 1993 in order to prepare and create a group of people with higher qualification to provide the much needed academic and professional leadership at the primary level. It is also intended to create a forum for the students with class XII passed certificates, who are interested in primary education and who have the aptitude for becoming good primary teachers with a degree course.

The B.Ed Primary Programme for the past 15 years was a blend of the B.Ed Secondary and Primary Teacher Training Certificate Course. The course content was very similar to the B.Ed secondary, where one of the subjects of specialization (major) was substituted with the teaching (curricular) subjects of the primary curriculum. But, of recent there was a general perception of a poor standard of learning in the early years of primary school. Therefore with the Office of the Vice Chancellor’s initiative, a consultancy was called in March and April of 2008. The consultants’ roles were to focus, specifically, on the possible contributing factors relating to the training of teachers for the early school classes, PP – P3, and then to make recommendations concerning a Primary B.Ed teacher training program which would address the poor standard situation. Accordingly the programme had a major review.

The reviewed programme now concerns the development of primary teachers only and so the previous contents of the 3 years B.Ed program that ventured into secondary subject areas are omitted. All modules are very focused on the education of PP – VI children, with inclusion of modules like creative arts, children with special needs and foundations of early childhood. All modules draw on recommended texts and references and have been developed and arranged to provide a balance between theory and practice and between pedagogy and subject content. All graduates from this programme will be able to teach any class and any subject in primary schools. They do, however, have the opportunity towards the end of the course to further develop their knowledge concerning certain subjects, classroom skills and related studies, all of these modules being relevant to primary teachers. Therefore, the graduates of his programme are expected to be committed to their primary teaching role and not aspire to become secondary teachers.
The aims of the programme are to:
• Produce competent and committed teachers able to teach any class and any subject in the primary Classes(PP-VI)
• Develop desirable spiritual, moral, social and cultural values and attitudes, and confidence to develop the same in the students under their charge as teachers
• Understand the national needs and aspirations in the light of the National Education Policy and play their role in achieving the objectives laid down in the policy.
• Develop a positive attitude towards the profession and its continued development

Curriculum structure
The program contains 40 modules spread over four years of study with third year practicum covering five of these. In general, years I and 2 concentrate on lower primary modules and years 3 and 4 on upper primary modules with the opportunity in the 8th semester to further develop their knowledge concerning certain subjects, classroom skills, and related studies. All modules are theory-based with practical implementations, logically spread within the structure for sound and logical progression from modules being built on learning developed in earlier modules.

Program structure with modules and their codes
Read more...