Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 22
A two day long second All Nagaland Government School Teachers Conference under the aegis of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), School Education and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) got underway at NBCC Convention Hall on August 22.
Addressing the inaugural function, Minister for School Education & Parliamentary Affairs Tokheho Yepthomi sought cooperation from all teachers to build a brighter future for children and the state. He said every profession has its own culture and tradition and the department of school education and SCERT has been entrusted with the responsibility of shaping the future of our generation and “therefore the fate of our people lies on our shoulders.”
In the present scenario of our state education system, pursuit of academic excellence and qualitative education of our children should be the aim of the department of school education; the Minister said adding “fulfilling these objectives is the duty of all of us as God has put each and every one of us with this assignment.”
Yepthomi said a lot of things need to be done in the department, more so a number of corrective measures are needed. “We can only achieve our aims and objectives if we all put our heads together in mutual understanding with a sense of belonging from top to bottom,” the Minister said.
Maintaining that teachers and quality teaching influence the destiny of individuals, families, communities and nation, the minister said “It is a complex and important profession for which we will always try to draw those with the best aptitude and greatest commitment to join as teachers. With persistent learning, teachers become a running stream of fresh water that nurtures and grows everything around them.”
SCERT Director Khrietuo Mezhür in his keynote address said that by March 2019, all teachers both government and private sector have to be trained as per the new policy introduced by the central government. Keeping this concern in mind, he urged all the teachers to get registered and obtain a certificate of diploma in elementary education by 2019, if not the only option is to go for voluntary retirement, he added.
He also stated that the new textbooks would be introduced after reviewing by the committee during the next academic session where alternative English is to be replaced by Naga Heritage study which is a collection of stories from all different tribes, folklores and folktales.
F.P. Solo, Principal Secretary School Education and SCERT challenged all the teachers serving in the government sector to work harder and be at par with teachers serving in the private sector as they are equally regarded in our society due to their hard work and dedication towards their profession. “Respect cannot be claimed as a matter of right, rather it has to be earned by dint of hard work and commitment,” he added.
NBCC general secretary Rev. Zelhou Keyho invoked God blessing for the convention while Dziesekhrienuo Keretsü presented a special number.
The inaugural function was followed by presentation and discussion session with Thejawelie Gregory, Mission Director SSA, Razousheyi Vese, joint director, Directorate of School Education, Nagaland and official from RMSA Assam (DRISTI) as resource persons. Day two programme on August 23 will start from 9:00 AM. It will cover topics on “Best practices in education” and “How to teach and learn better (Science, Maths, English, SS).” Valedictory function has been scheduled at 2:40 PM with parliamentary secretary for SCERT and economics and statistics Er Kropol Vitsu as chief guest.
