Name: Dilbag Singh
Country: India

Year: 2025
Volume: Volume-10, Issue-2 (July-December)
Page Number: 98-108
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17852665

ABSTRACT
Education is the cornerstone of societal progress, driving overall development. Consequently, every
society establishes a school system to educate its children according to its socio-economic framework.
Typically, school education is divided into three stages: primary, secondary, and higher secondary. To
maintain high educational standards, teachers undergo professional training through teacher education
programs. In India, these programs are regulated by the National Council for Teacher Education
(NCTE), directly impacting the quality of school education. Each stage of schooling plays a vital role
in student development. The primary level focuses on building foundational skills in reading, writing,
and arithmetic. At the secondary stage, subjects such as mathematics, science, social sciences, and
languages are explored in greater depth to enhance students' knowledge, skills, critical thinking,
conceptual clarity, and linguistic abilities. The effectiveness of higher education largely depends on the
competencies developed during secondary education. Students select a language of instruction for
subjects like science and mathematics, and their comprehension relies on their proficiency in that
language. Equally important is the teacher's fluency in the same language to facilitate effective
teaching and learning. To improve secondary education, enhancing teacher training programs is
crucial. Previously, India offered a one-year secondary teacher education program, which was
extended to two years in 2014, followed by the introduction of a Five-Year Integrated Program
(FYIP). These programs cover subjects such as philosophy, psychology, pedagogy, and teaching
methodologies. While philosophy defines knowledge and values, psychology helps teachers
understand students' cognitive and social development. Pedagogical training equips educators with
effective teaching strategies. However, many trainee teachers do not receive instruction in their native
language or chosen medium of instruction, leading to difficulties in understanding key concepts.
Additionally, many professors use a different language or a mixed-language approach, such as English
and Punjabi or Hindi and English, creating a barrier to comprehension. Studies suggest that the quality
of teacher education significantly influences the performance of secondary teachers. Furthermore, the
appropriate use of language by teacher educators plays a crucial role in ensuring the effectiveness of
training programs. This study gathered perspectives from 200 teacher trainees and 50 teacher
educators through open-ended interview questions. Their responses were analyzed using content
analysis to gain deeper insights into their experiences and viewpoints.
Key Words: Medium of Instruction, Secondary Teacher Education.