Rethinking teacher evaluation

A recent headline in the local newspaper stated that teacher evaluation would be initiated soon. My instant thought was a positive one. There had been a lot of complaints about absentee teachers and lack of quality education in the past (and continues even today) therefore it is only seemed fair that students got an opportunity to rate the teaching capacity and quality of their supposed gurus. But a second look revealed a big problem with this arrangement. Before I go further I want to admit that this alternative view emerged after a short discussion with Dad.

While studying at Deen, we were made to fill out a form after the end of every semester for every course we had taken up. This was the teacher cum course evaluation which was mandatory for all pupils. It was a good way to gather information about the positives and shortcomings of the course within the six months that it had been taught. I believe most of us were honest. Some of us gave insights about what could or should have been included or omitted, how the Professor's teaching style benefited or confused us. All in all it was a genuine effort to express what one truly felt about the course. Now when we try and apply the same logic to schools in Sikkim there emerges a few problems.

1. The fundamental question centers around evaluation of what? Because different subjects require various methods and techniques it may be difficult to define a common good teacher. 
2. The reward system that has been suggested might lead to unnecessary complications. First of all, being appointed as a regular teacher by the State government is a reward in itself therefore the question of additional rewards shouldn't arise. Secondly, if such a system were put in place then it might entice teachers to milk good comments from their students by way of giving high marks or through other means. 
3. As compared to Universities, school students may not have the maturity to understand what is being expected of them while handing out such a form. They might not even have a clear knowledge of their syllabus. As such how they evaluate teachers might get jumbled up with personal likes or dislikes.
4. I feel that teacher evaluation should be a prerequisite for the teaching community in the sense that it can be an informal exercise to know how students are coping with the classes. One can have such an exercise twice a year. This way teachers will get an opportunity to rethink their teaching mechanisms if indeed corrections are to be made. 
5. The CCE has already replaced the age-old middle school academic structure by introducing a more uniform and comprehensive pattern for children all over the country. It would be worthwhile evaluating the new system in place.

Instead of just focusing on teacher evaluation, we can have various other mechanisms in place like classroom observation, peer review, faculty self evaluation etc. along with it to bring about a more wholesome and valid picture of the system in place. The process, although arduous, is a much needed one if we are to speak of quality education as the most important goal for future development.