Report on the Two-Day Residential Workshop on Embedding Foundational Numeracy in the DIET Curriculum
A two-day residential workshop on Embedding Foundational Numeracy in the DIET Curriculum was successfully conducted on 6th and 7th July 2026 under the aegis of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Education Department, Government of Sikkim. The workshop brought together faculty members from the three District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) of Gangtok, Gyalshing and Namchi with the objective of strengthening pre-service teacher education in the area of Foundational Numeracy.
The workshop was organised as part of SCERT's continuing efforts to institutionalise the pedagogical approaches developed under the Special Numeracy Programme (SNP) and to ensure that these approaches become an integral component of teacher education in the State. While the programme has significantly enhanced classroom practices among in-service teachers across Government schools, the next logical step is to prepare future teachers before they enter the profession.
The primary objective of the workshop was to develop a sustainable model for integrating Foundational Numeracy pedagogy into the DIET curriculum so that pre-service teacher trainees acquire the necessary conceptual understanding, pedagogical skills and practical classroom strategies during their teacher preparation programme. This initiative is expected to create a continuous pipeline of professionally trained teachers who are well-equipped to foster strong mathematical thinking and number sense among young learners from the very beginning of their teaching careers.
During the two-day workshop, faculty members engaged in intensive discussions on the principles of Foundational Numeracy, progression of mathematical concepts across the foundational stage, activity-based pedagogy, use of concrete learning materials, classroom discourse, assessment practices and strategies for integrating these components within the existing pre-service curriculum. Participants collaboratively examined ways of aligning the curriculum with competency-based learning outcomes and experiential teaching methodologies that promote joyful and meaningful mathematics learning.
An important component of the workshop was a classroom observation visit to Government Modern Senior Secondary School, Gangtok. The faculty members observed live mathematics classrooms where the pedagogical approaches of the Special Numeracy Programme were being implemented. The observation provided participants with first-hand exposure to child-centred teaching practices, effective classroom interactions, use of learning materials, facilitation techniques and assessment strategies employed by teachers. The visit also enabled the faculty members to interact with teachers and reflect on how classroom practices could be effectively translated into pre-service teacher education programmes.
The classroom observation was followed by reflective discussions wherein participants analysed the observed teaching-learning processes and explored practical ways of incorporating these experiences into teacher education courses. The deliberations reinforced the importance of providing pre-service teachers with authentic classroom exposure alongside theoretical preparation.
Throughout the workshop, emphasis was placed on developing a long-term institutional framework that would enable DIETs to systematically prepare future teachers in Foundational Numeracy. Faculty members jointly deliberated on curriculum integration, practicum experiences, demonstration lessons, reflective practice, and mentoring mechanisms that could support effective implementation within the Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) programme.
The workshop concluded with a shared commitment from all participating DIET faculty to work collaboratively with SCERT in embedding Foundational Numeracy within the pre-service curriculum. The participants acknowledged that strengthening teacher preparation at the pre-service stage would ensure greater sustainability of the State's Foundational Numeracy initiatives and significantly enhance the quality of mathematics teaching in primary schools.
The initiative marks another important milestone in the State's efforts to institutionalise quality foundational learning and reflects the Education Department's commitment to creating a robust ecosystem where every aspiring teacher enters the profession equipped with the knowledge, skills and pedagogical competencies required to support meaningful mathematical learning for every child. The workshop was coordinated by SCERT in collaboration with Jodo Gyan, New Delhi
