“Chokkupodi 2026” Academic Congress Features VMFT Teacher Research Group’s Insights from China

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Teachers’ Club Kolanchery, an Ernakulam-based collective of educators committed to advancing educational reform, organized an online seminar, in collaboration with VMFT, titled “China’s Progress and Educational Transformations” as part of its 7th Academic Congress, Chokkupodi 2026.

Expert Perspective from the VMFT Teacher Research Group 
The keynote speakers, Dr. N. Suresh Kumar and T.S. Nisha, are members of the VMFT Teacher Research Group. They were sponsored by VMFT to participate in the “Belt and Road Shanghai Autumn Exchange Project”, organized jointly by the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre and the Chinese Government in October 2024. They were the first representatives from India to attend this annual event, which brings together participants from multiple countries.

Seminar Highlights 
The session was chaired by Mr. Noufal, a State Teacher Award winner and lead organizer of Teachers’ Club Kolanchery, while Mr. Shadish (BPC, Thalassery North) delivered the welcome address.

Contextualizing China
T.S. Nisha opened the session by outlining China’s growing global relevance, highlighting its rapid progress in science, technology, and knowledge systems.

A Deep Dive into the System
Dr. N. Suresh Kumar shared detailed insights from his visit to China, covering the country’s education structure, the proactive role of the government, the rigor of teacher education, and the involvement of multiple stakeholders in shaping outcomes.

Engaging the Teaching Community 
The 30-minute presentation was followed by a Q&A session, with nearly 100 participating teachers from Kerala engaging actively and drawing comparisons with the local context.

  • Teacher as Researcher: Participants reflected on how Chinese teachers are evolving into independent researchers, prompting questions about why a similar shift is not yet visible locally despite ongoing discussions around K-TET.
  • Early Innovation: Teachers were particularly interested in how Chinese preschoolers are encouraged to “re-design” tools, contrasting it with current pre-primary practices in India.
  • Status and Promotion: The structured promotion system—where teachers advance every four years—and the elevated status of kindergarten teachers drew strong interest.
  • STEM vs. Humanities: Discussions explored the balance between STEM and Humanities in China’s curriculum.
  • Monitoring and Discipline: Questions also addressed classroom monitoring, government oversight, student discipline, and the influence of social media on youth.
  • Environmental Consciousness: Participants were keen to understand how environmental awareness is deeply embedded in China’s schooling system from an early stage.

Outcomes and Way Forward 
The seminar underscored how education reforms have contributed to China’s global progress. It also provided a platform for VMFT to introduce its #BilingualReadingProgram to teachers in Kerala’s northern districts, with Teachers’ Club Kolanchery expressing interest in evaluating its learning outcomes.

The event concluded with a felicitation by Mr. T.T. Paulose and a vote of thanks by Ms. Rajila, Headmistress of Tharuvanatheru UP School, Thalassery.

For the participating educators, the session offered global perspectives alongside practical insights into evolving education systems.

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