(Left to Right) Razoukhoyi Rhakho, Raymond Vizo and Wonthungo Tsopoe, Director of School Education
Morung Express News
Kohima | December 14
Stating that some of the prerequisites of becoming a teacher are “passion, empathy, kindness, compassion and over and above all, sincerity,” Director of School Education, Wonthungo Tsopoe on Thursday underlined that “teaching is not just about making a student pass, but is a multifaceted job with many areas of intervention.”
Addressing the introductory session of the two-day In-House Orientation Programme for the new Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) Recruits under the Department of School Education held at the Morung Conference Hall, he urged that as teachers, they need to think of the students first. He also pointed out that the ‘most neglected students’ are enrolled in the government higher secondary schools, and in this regard, stated that the students also come with many problems.
Learning, he asserted, is not just confined to the four walls of a classroom. Further citing instances where some of the teachers are into the habit of using tobacco, who go to the extent of sending their students to buy tobacco, he told the new PGT Recruits that “as a teacher, students have to emulate us.” He substantiated this point by saying that, “every action of yours in the classroom is a role model for the students.”
In the meantime, he highlighted that many teachers come with their own baggage of family problems, and stated in this regard that their profession as teachers should come first. He also observed that many a times, there is campaigning for posting of teachers as everybody wants to be in their comfort zones.
However, he encouraged the teachers to go and serve wherever they are posted without reservations whether it is in Mon, Kiphire, Shamator or any other far-flung district while relating from his own personal experiences that, “you will find more pleasure, make new friends, experience new environment and moreover, you may not get another chance to go back there.”
“I have been to the remotest place, but if you are sincere in your work, people will remember you”, he exhorted. He further stated strong belief that God has blessed him because he has never neglected his duty. While it posed greater challenges to be posted in a remote place few decades back, he said that teachers now have all the facilities, and advised them that, “you all should enjoy wherever you are posted. This will enable you to progress in your profession.”
Despite the social obligations that the Naga society has, he also told the teachers to take their teaching profession seriously and to equip themselves with all the knowledge that will be imparted during the course of the two-day orientation. He stated hope that the training would be fruitful not only for the teachers but that it would also be an asset for the department.
Mention may be made here that earlier batches of teachers were not imparted with such trainings but were sent to their posting places straight away. A total of 116 Post Graduate Teachers have been recruited in this batch.
Highlights of the programme included introduction and welcome address by Gloria Ezung, Assistant Director, School Education and invocation by Razoukhoyi Rhakho, UDA.
Resource persons for the Orientation Programme are Trakha, Section Officer, Government of Nagaland, Kelhika Kenye, Deputy Project Director, SAMAGRA, YouthNet, Raymond Vizo, S.A, Government of Nagaand and Longtsubo, Suptd Department of School Education. Topics to be deliberated upon are Introduction to Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rule, 1968, Maintenance of Service Book/APAR, Role and Responsibility of a Teacher, Office Etiquette/Soft Skills, Leave Rules/Study Leave, General Office Management and Rules and Basic Account Matters.
