In a significant move to reshape teacher education in India, UNESCO and the Regional Institute of Education (RIE) Bhubaneswar, under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate health and well-being into pre-service teacher education programs.

The agreement was formalized at the UNESCO Office in New Delhi.

The two-year partnership aims to institutionalize health and well-being across programs such as Integrated B.Sc.-B.Ed., B.A.-B.Ed., and B.Ed., ensuring that future classrooms are safe, inclusive, and conducive to holistic development.

Tim Curtis, Director and Representative of UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, emphasized that the collaboration would bring concrete action at the state level, preparing future teachers in Odisha to cultivate resilient, compassionate, and well-rounded learners. “We hope this initiative will expand to other states in the near future,” he added.

Building on UNESCO’s previous engagement with NCERT under the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP)—which has impacted over 3 million students, trained 40,000 teachers, and engaged 960 principals in 30,000 CBSE-affiliated schools—the new MoU charts a clear roadmap:

·        Piloting a health and well-being handbook for teacher educators and prospective teachers

·        Conducting capacity-building workshops across B.Ed. institutions in Odisha

·        Embedding health and well-being modules into existing curricula

·        Evaluating and finalizing supplementary materials with UNESCO endorsement

Prof. P C Agarwal, Joint Director of NCERT, lauded UNESCO’s efforts under SHWP in developing a committed cadre of master trainers and reaffirmed NCERT’s commitment to scaling the initiative nationwide.

Prof. Manasi Goswami, Principal of RIE Bhubaneswar, noted that while credit courses on health already exist, the implementation of NEP 2020 calls for a renewed emphasis on well-being in teacher education. She welcomed UNESCO’s support in strengthening and reforming courses to align with the vision of holistic education.

The signing ceremony featured key stakeholders including Ms. Joyce Poan, Programme Specialist and Chief of Education, UNESCO; Prof. Hrushikesh Senapaty, former Director of NCERT; and Sarita Jadav, National Programme Officer, UNESCO.