One of the reasons given why the number of students attending their first year B.Ed course this year is being restricted is that there are not enough schools accepting student teachers for their teaching practice. I don’t think this should ever be a valid reason for restricting entry to the B.Ed courses. All schools should be obliged to accept student teachers.

In my personal experience as head of school I never encountered any serious problems because I believed that besides giving these student teachers an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in teaching it is also an enriching experience for the subject/class teacher. That certain teachers are hesitant and worried and wouldn’t want to let go of their class, especially at the beginning of the scholastic year, is understandable. But with good will and regular monitoring from the subject/class teacher there shouldn’t be any problem.

What is preoccupying is the fact that most student teachers are left to plod along all alone with no contact or monitoring whatsoever from the subject/class teacher. This, to my reasoning, is wrong. It is not sufficient that the student teacher is followed and monitored only by the tutor concerned. Constant meetings and monitoring between the subject/class teacher and the student teacher is a must.

If there is regular monitoring from the subject/class teacher I don’t think there should be any problem for any school to accept student teacher placements.