Nagaland commemorates National Education Day 2018

Dignitaries during the commemoration of National Education Day in Kohima on November 10. (Morung Photo)
  Our Correspondent Kohima | November 10   Nagaland Education Association (NEA) in collaboration with Ura College of Teacher Education (UCTE) Kohima today commemorated National Education Day 2018 here at Ura Academy Hall.   National Education Day officially falls on November 11. However, November 11 being Sunday, NEA observed the day today.   The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt of India declared November 11 as the National Education Day in commemoration of the birthday of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of the Independent India.   Azad was a scholar, freedom fighter, promoter of basic education, education of the poor and girls, adult literacy, universal primary education, free and compulsory education and diversification of secondary education and vocational training. Call for qualitative improvement in education sector Gracing the occasion as guest of honour, State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT) director, T Sekhose said that literacy is just not about how to read and write but how to learn, unlearn and relearn.   “We in the education sector need to tie hands together to improve the education quality in the state,” he said.   Expressing that the field of education has become the major priority in the world, he said there is an urgent need for all to individually and also converge together to plan how to go forward in education sector.   He also opined that in Nagaland too much emphasis is given on examination and evaluation without considering the level of understanding of the students. And therefore the system of teaching needs to be re-examined while the department is trying but is struggling to bring about qualitative improvement.   He was of the view that a convergence model or State Education Act would be proper to bring about qualitative improvement in the education system.   Also citing the advancement of Information technology and the availability of the answers to any queries through internet services which has led to explosion of information, the Director said, education should not be just text book based but has to be graphical, musical, audio and visual.   Challenges of education are varies while every resource may be available, but the quality of teaching matters a lot, he said while maintaining that quality of teachers also has to improve because much of the education quality depends on them.   In this, he highlighted some of the initiatives of SCERT, which include nine months school counseling course for in service teachers and introduction of Nagaland Heritage Studies in the schools with a view to instill the values of tradition and culture on the students.   He also encouraged all as stake holders to put heads together to examine how far has the state come and how to go about in the future in order to bring about qualitative improvement in the education sector.   Former Project Director SSA and retired Joint Director of School Education, John Lohe tressed on the need to have more of moral values in the curriculum, especially in the primary section, which he felt can only be brought about by the educationists. Call for professional educationists to deal with overall education system NEA president Dr. Zavise Rume in his keynote speech said the National Education Day is a great day to honour and respect educationists in the country.   He said that the Draft National Education Policy 2016 has recognized education as a key driver of humane society.   Stating that professionalism is rapidly growing in education, Dr. Rume said “We need professional educationists, education professionals, education subject specialists and experts to deal with the overall education system.”   He said that there many educationists in Nagaland who are scattered in the sense that they do not belong to any professional organization.   “There is no uniform professional code of ethics for the educationists in the state. There is hardly any leadership for educationist in the state. Hardly any educationalist in the state is really involved in the education policy decision making process,” he said.   Dr. Rume said that educationists in Nagaland have miserably failed in their profession to play their role in the education policy making process even though there are many educationists in the state who have many resources and best mind to contribute, but they do not have any forum.   “This is the missing link. We cannot remain a silent spectator-silently watching what is happening in the education system. All the educationists, educators and teachers in the state should come together under one umbrella,” he said.   He said NEA was formed in 2016 with the objective to provide a common platform for educationist, teachers and teacher educators in the state to promote healthy interactions on issues related to education, share the resources, provide consultancy service and safeguard the interest of the educationists in the state.   He said any person possessing any degree in education, Ph.D, MA, M. Phil, M.Ed, or Diploma in Education can become as primary member of the NEA.   Those person who do not have any degree or diploma in education but having worked or associated with education system in any educational institution can become an associate member of the Association.   He saluted all educationists in the state for the great contributions they have made to the society and called upon all of them to reeducate themselves to their professions.   A book on second edition of “Learning disabilities identification, remedies & teaching strategies” by Dr. Bweyhunle Khing was also released on the occasion.   The function was chaired by school counselor Temsuyangla while UCTE principal Dr. Etsemo Odyuo proposed vote of thanks.