CHALLENGES OF SECONDARY TEACHER EDUCATION IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM -WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MEGHALAYA

The socio, cultural, economic, scientific development and advancement of a country depend on the quality of the people. The quality of the people depends largely on the quality of the education system prevailing in the country, and the quality and efficiency of education system depends on the quality of teachers. Without maintaining the quality of teachers, no innovation should be expected. It is a universal fact that the progress of any country directly varies with the quality of teachers, and today when there is a virtual explosion of information, it is highly essential that teacher education is of the highest quality and standard. No system of education, no syllabus, no methodology, no textbook can rise above the level of its teachers. If a country wants to have quality education, it must have quality teachers. The National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) document of 1998, stresses that teachers are the torchbearers in creating social cohesion and national integration by revealing and elaborating the secrets of attaining higher values in life. Only enlightened and emancipated teachers lead communities and nations in their march towards better and higher quality of life.