Lokesh Charts Global Exposure for AP’s Best Teachers
The selected teachers will visit the University of Turku and educational institutions in Turku and Rauma to study Finland’s approaches to early childhood and basic education.
VIJAYAWADA: Education minister Nara Lokesh is spearheading an initiative to give Andhra Pradesh’s best teachers global exposure, with 29 award-winning teachers set to undergo an eight-day professional development programme in Finland from August 17 to 26.
The initiative is aimed at developing the “AP Model of Education” as a national benchmark by bringing globally acclaimed teaching practices into classrooms across the State. The selected teachers will visit the University of Turku and educational institutions in Turku and Rauma to study Finland’s approaches to early childhood and basic education.
The International Professional Development Programme, designed in collaboration with the University of Turku, will focus on child-centred learning, joyful pedagogy and play-based education, besides strengthening teachers’ professional capabilities.
Lokesh said teachers were the building blocks of society and architects of children’s future. The international exposure would help them bring back new ideas and best practices from Finland and adapt them to schools in Andhra Pradesh, he said.
The programme follows the state government’s decision to provide international exposure to its best teachers.
In April, 37 teachers were sent to Singapore for professional training. The Finland programme is designed to transfer global practices to schools across the State.
The programme has three phases. The first, a four-day orientation programme in Vijayawada, has already been completed, with three Finnish experts introducing the teachers to Finland’s education system, teaching methodologies, development projects and mentoring practices.
The second phase, from August 17 to 26, will provide hands-on exposure in Finland. The teachers will observe classrooms, visit educational institutions and interact with educators at early childhood education centres and teacher training schools.
The third phase will involve online mentoring and project support, with University mentors conducting three structured sessions to guide the teachers in developing and implementing school-based projects focused on improving teaching and learning.
After returning to the state, the teachers will design and implement development projects based on their Finnish experience in their respective schools. The award-winning teachers will also serve as resource persons and mentors for fellow teachers at district and mandal levels.
The government plans to establish demonstration classrooms in selected schools focusing on play-based and joyful learning. Successful practices will be documented and shared through professional learning communities, while a State-wide repository of innovative teaching methods and learning resources will be developed.
The programme will also promote the use of digital tools, strengthen leadership and mentoring skills among educators and encourage child-centred classroom practices. Periodic reviews and impact assessments will track improvements in student engagement, learning outcomes and well-being.
