Role of Regulatory Program Bodies in Teacher

Education

Many international and national bodies and institutions are involved in teacher education. The
government recognizes that each has its own responsibilities in the system, and it also recognizes the
need for improving co-ordination among them for successful teacher education program. Let us discuss
each of them with their functions.

International Level Agencies of Teacher Education Program:

UNESCO: UNESCO fosters innovation to meet education and work force needs and examines ways of
increasing higher education opportunities for young people from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
UNESCO promotes policy dialogue and contributes to enhancing quality education, strengthening
research capacities in higher education institutions, and knowledge sharing across borders. The
functions of UNESCO are as follow: Emphasizing the essential role teacher training and education policy
play in national development goals.

Producing and disseminating policy guidelines on open and distance learning, e-learning, and use of ICTs
in teacher education.

Advocacy to improve the training and status of teachers worldwide.

Integrating international standards regarding HIV/ AIDS and life skills into national teacher education
policies.

Promoting exchange of good national practices and lessons learnt within groups of countries with
common teacher-related agendas through networking and exchange.

UNESCO promotes the development of a professionally-trained corps of teachers who provided the
human contact, understanding and judgment.

National Level Agencies of Teacher Education Programe:

University Grants Commission (UGC): UGC was established on 28th December, 1953, in New Delhi. UGC
was given autonomy by govt. of India in 1956. To upgrade the standard of education Teacher education
committees were formed consisting of seven members for two years duration. The functions of UGC in
teacher education are as follows:

It encourages higher level research work and teaching activities by providing financial assistance
It provides the grants for higher education and new programmes in the Universities and colleges.

It provides the fellowship for teachers and project work for University and college teachers. It provides
an awareness of new innovations and research in teacher-education.

The national fellowship and teacher fellowship are granted for encouraging research and teaching work.

Visiting professors are appointed from among the University professors for interchange programmes
and delivering lectures.

Residential facilities for university and college teachers are also provided.

Research associates are appointed for postdoctoral work.

UGC provides travel grants to the university lecturers for attending international conferences and
seminars.

b) National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration: (NUEPA/NIEPA):

NIEPA is the highest organization of educational planning and Administration. It has the following
functions to perform:

Providing training of educational planning and administration to develop the abilities and competencies
in the educational administration as the in-service program.

Providing training facilities in educational planning and administration at the state level and regional
level to develop efficiency at their level.

Integrating educational studies and researches under the area of educational planning and
administration and make co-ordinations in these activities.

Encouraging the teachers to solve the problems of educational planning and administration by
organizing seminars and workshops.

Arranging extension programs for new developments and innovations in the area of planning and
administration.

Establishing contact with other countries to understand the developments and innovations of the
developed countries."

Providing guidance at National and State levels ibute in the area of planning and administration.

Multi-dimensional activities-under extension programs-journal on educational planning and

administration and other books are published.
Review of educational planning and administration of other countries-used to develop our educational
system and solve educational problems.

c. National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE):

NCTE was established after Kothari commission Report (1964-66) which criticized Teacher Education
Program on 21st May 1973. NCTE has got an independent constitutional status since 1993. The
Functions of NCTE are as follows:

Undertake survey and studies relating to various aspects of teacher-education and publish the results.

Making recommendations to the center and State government Universities, the U.G.C and other
institutions in the preparation of plans and programs in the field of teacher education.

Coordinating and monitoring teacher education and its development in the country.

Preparing a guideline with regard to minimum qualifications for the candidates to be employed as
teacher-educators at different levels.

Developing norms for any specified category of courses or training in teacher-education, including
minimum eligibility criterion for admission.

Preparing a guideline and specified requirements for starting new courses and programs under teacher
education

Developing a guideline for general teacher education programme.

To advise central government on matters like teacher-education (in building pre-service/in-service

training), evaluation of the curricula for teacher-education and periodical review with respect to the
revision of curricula.

To advise state governments on any matter of their concern.

To review the progress of plan of teacher- education, submitted by central/state governments. To advise
the government on ensuring adequate standards in teacher-education.

To give approval to teacher-education institutions.

To lay down norms for maintaining standards of teachers-education.

Promoting innovations and research studies and organize them periodically or annually.

Supervising the teacher education programs and providing financial assistance.

Enforcing accountability of teacher development programs in the country.

Preparing a programe for in-service teacher education for orienting teachers for the latest development.
d. NCERT: National Council of Educational Research and Training:

NCERT is an autonomous organization, working as an academic wing of the Ministry of Education. It was
established in 1961 by Ministry of Education of Indian Government. The functions of NCERT are as
follows:

The major functions of NCERT are as under/Role of NCERT:

To undertake aid, promote and co-ordinate 0023research in all branches of education for anion
improving school-education.

To organize pre-service and in-service education programes for teachers.

To prepare and publish study material for mini students and related teacher's handbooks.

To search talented students for the award of scholarship in science, Technology and social sciences.

To organize extension centers in training institutes with the cooperation of state governments and
extend facilities pertaining to new method and technologies among them.

Role of Regulatory Bodies in Teacher Education Programme in Nursing

Health professionals such as doctors, nurses, pharmacist and many others are regulated and licensed by
regulatory bodies as required by provincial legislation. All nurses are required to be licensed to practice
with their designated state nursing regulatory body. Legal responsibility in nursing practice is becoming
of greater importance as each year passes. In order to provide safe and competent nursing care an
understanding of legal boundaries is very essential. It is very important to know the law in one state and
the authorities enforcing these laws.

Vital Role of Regulatory Bodies

 To ensure the public's right to quality health care service.

 To support and assist professional members.
 Set and enforce standards for nursing education.
 Monitor and enforce standards of nursing practice.
 Set the requirements for registration of nursing professionals.

Nursing regulatory bodies are responsible for the licensing of nurses within their respective state. The
nursing regulatory bodies receive their authority from legislation.
 Major regulatory bodies

The central government is a source of regulatory body in three ways:

Government Service Conduct Rules

These are detailed rules of conduct for government employees. Examples of these are the requirement
to maintain absolute integrity, devotion to duty and high standards of moral behavior. Only a few are
applicable to the nursing practice, but all would be applicable to the practice of a nurse employed by the
government.

The Indian Nursing Council Act

The Indian Nursing council, authorizes by Indian council act of 1947, was established in 1949 for the
purpose of providing uniform standards in nursing education and reciprocity in nursing registration
throughout the country. It is only national legislation which is directly related to nursing practice and
also provides a basis from which rules for nursing practice can be developed. Among other
responsibilities, this act gives authority to the Indian Nursing Council for prescribing curricula for nursing
education and recognizing qualifications of institutions with teaching programs for nursing. This means
that the INC has authority to control nursing education and what the nurse is prepared to do. It is
important because legal responsibility does finally depend upon what you should be able to do and how
you should do it as well as what you are not prepared to do. The INC uses this authority in nursing
education, but it delegates authority for control of nursing practice to the State Nurses' Registration
Councils.

The English law

The law based on the English Pattern is the third way in which the central government is a source of
legal authority. These laws are very specific and make you 'liable for negligence' or answerable to the
laws for acts of carelessness.

Role of State Government

The state government controls nursing practice through the State Nurses Registration Acts. The State
Nurses Registration Councils have authority to prescribe rules of conduct, to take disciplinary action and
to maintain registers of nurses. Except for the uniform standards given by the INC, the state nurse
practice act protects the public by broadly defining the legal scope of nursing practice.
Functions he It registers nurse/midwives.

 It serves as legal protections to the nurse.

 It protects the public from incompetent nursing or poor nursing care.
 It accredits and inspects schools of nursing and college of nursing.
 It prescribes the rules of conduct and disciplinary actions.
 It takes united efforts to elevate the standards of nursing.
 It works for the welfare of the members.

Institutional Rules

Institution acts as a regulatory body for all employees by formulating some rules and regulations.
Professional rules of conduct may be stated by the institution regarding conditions of agreement for
employment such as periods of time needed when giving notification of registration.

Trained Nurses Association of India

TNAI means Trained Nurses Association of India, is a national professional association of nurses. The
level of organization moves to the district, state and national levels. Members of TNAI are usually most
active at the level of the local unit. Activities and conference, however, are planned and regulated by the
state branches and provide opportunities for valuable professional participation and development of the
individual member. Functions of TNAI are as follows:

 Upgrading development and standardization of nursing education.

 Improvement of living and working condition for nurses in India.
 Registration of qualified nurses.
 It has promoted the development of courses in higher education for nurses.
 It gives scholarships for nurses who wish to go for advanced study.
 Help to organize the state nurse and midwives of registration council.
 Helps to develop leadership ability.
 Helps to share and solve professional problems.
 Helps to remove discrimination against male nurses.
 Helps to improve economic conditions for nurses.
International Council for Nurses (ICN)

The International Council of Nurses, founded in 1899 by Mr Bedford Fenwick, is a federation of non-
political and self-governing national nurses association. The headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. The
main purpose of the ICN is to provide a mean through which the national associations can share their
interest in the promotion of health and care of the sick.

Functions

 To promote the development of strong national nurse’s associations.

 To assist the national nurse’s association to improve the standards of nursing and the
competencies of nurses.
 To assist national nurses associations to improve the status of nurses within their countries.
 To serve as the authoritative voice for nurse and nursing internationally.

American Nurses Association (ANA)

The ANA is the professional organization for registered nurses in the United States to advance and
protect the profession of nursing. The purpose of ANA is to work for the improvement of health
standards and the availability of health care services for all people, to foster high standards of nursing
and to stimulate and promote the professional development of nurses and advance their economic and
general welfare.

Functions

 Accredits educational programs.

 Provide certification for individual registered nurse. Supplies data for research analysis.
 Provide public policy analysis and political education and maintains government relations and
political action activities.
 Implements an economic and general welfare program.
 Publishes a variety of publications, including the American Nurses.
 Holds conferences and a biennial convention.
 They are responsible for creating the code of ethics for nurses:

-The nurse, in all professional relationships, practice with compassion and respect for the10 inherent
dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic
status, personal attributes or the nature of health problems.

-The nurse's primary commitment is to patient whether an individual, family, group or community.

-The nurse promotes, advocates for and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient.
-The nurse is responsible and accountable for the individual nursing practice and determines the
appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse's obligation to provide optimum patient care.

-The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity, to
maintain competence, and to continue personal and professional growth.

-The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining and improving the health care environment and
conditions of employments.

-Conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession
through individual and collective action.

-The nurse collaborates with the other health professionals and with the public in promoting
community, national and international efforts to meet health needs.

-The profession of nursing as represented by associations and their members is responsible for the
articulating of nursing values, for maintaining the integrity of the profession and its practice, and for
shaping social policy.

Canadian Nurses Association

It is the National Nursing Association of Canada. The Canadian Nurses Association has developed
national standards and a code of ethics and it offers support to all professional associations. This
foundation offers research grants, fellowships and scholarships for Canadian Nurses. The nursing
profession in Canada is regulated in the public interest, meaning that a person is not allowed to work in
a nursing job or even use the title 'Nurse' unless he/she is registered with a provincial regulatory
authority.

Function

 Regulating nursing education standards for nursing programs.

 Setting criteria for admission to the profession.
 Setting standards for practice.
 Acting on complaints from the public.
 Disciplining members who fail to meet the necessary standards of practice.
 Providing support for nursing practice to registered members.

National League for Nursing (NLN)

The mission of the national league for nursing is to advance the promotion of quality health care within
a changing health care environment by promoting and monitoring effective nursing education and
practice through collaborative efforts of nursing leaders, representatives of relevant agencies and the
general public.

Functions

 Strengthen the nurses' role in the promotion of quality health care that is both assessable and
affordable.
 Promote quality in nursing practice.
 Assure quality in nursing education.
 Enhance the consumer involvement in attaining the goals of the organization.
 Develop creative and collaborative approaches to the resolution of health care problems.
 Restructure the organization to provide flexibility of for future growth and development.
 Ensure the financial solvency of the organization.

The NLN is recognized in the United States as the national accrediting body for all basic nursing
education programs as well as for master’s degree nursing programs. It provides peer review
accreditation programs for home health agencies and community nursing service. It also provides
consultation services, continuing education programs, analysis of statistical data related to nursing
education and a variety of information package to affect recruitment image and legislation affairs.