Minister of Education, Premila Kumar [left] during the discussions on the revised Literacy and Numeracy curriculum for primary schools.

Practical lessons are important in becoming a good teacher says Minister of Education, Premila Kumar.

Kumar says while having a qualification is important, but it is also critical to do fieldwork in order to gain firsthand experience.

The Education Minister says having a teaching degree only, does not make one qualified.

“So qualification is not just having a degree, it also means having a practicum component where a new graduate not only does a degree, say in pure science and then we allow him or her to start teaching without having practicals. Practicals are very important. We call it practicum where students go into a classroom and they teach and they really experience what it feels like to teach in a classroom surrounded by 40 students.”

The Education Ministry held discussions on the revised Literacy and Numeracy curriculum for primary schools yesterday which will be rolled out in the next academic year.