TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMMES AND ODL SYSTEM: NEED AND CHALLENGES

Education is very important not only for the success of an individual but for the nation as well. It is a powerful instrument to bring about desired change in the individual as well as in the society. These changes are in terms of more physical and mental abilities, development of certain skills peculiar to each subject and better adjustment to the given situation environment. It is also considered the best investment for national development through the development of human. For this human development the Conventional and the Distance mode of education systems are contributing equally. Teacher education is an important area where Open and Distance Learning system has been used extensively to provide pre-service teacher preparation, upgrading of academic qualifications and in-service continuing professional development in particular subjects, content areas and instructional methods. This article discusses the need of ODL system in the in the field of teacher education and about the challenges in that particular area.