Dr KekhrielhoulieYhome and others during state level award function for Nagaland Reading Festival in Kohima on May 12. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 12
Nagaland’s School Education & SCERT advisor Dr Kekhrielhoulie Yhome today launched the new initiatives of Literacy & Numeracy fest under the NIPUN Nagaland, Teachers Resource Package and NIPUN App.
This was launched during the state-level award function for Nagaland Reading Festival (NRF) here at NBCC Convention Hall, Kohima.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Yhome said that the literary festival is to encourage reading among the Nagas. Every Naga citizen is multilingual and exposed to rich linguistic opportunities which help in different types of skill development.
Reading helps improve cognitive skills like attention, visual processing, auditory processing, working, short-term and long-term memory, sensory integration, and also reasoning, he said.
In this, he encouraged the students on immense reading which will help strengthen cognitive skills and this will make the process of learning much easier.
Yhome also acknowledged building leadership and the need to recognize and appreciate teachers.
He further said that teachers should also take notes on working with disadvantaged groups in society which will help in facilitating positive growth for the development of children and the state as a whole.
‘Reading festival should cascade and reach private schools too’
Kevileno Angami, Commissioner & Secretary for school education & SCERT maintained that education is a powerful tool that can bring social justice and equality and only through education, human potential can be optimized.
She felt that the reading festival should cascade and reach other private schools too and inculcating reading as a habit will improve everyone in their learning.
Education for children is a fundamental right and delivery of education is a public service, she added.
Thavaseelan K, principal director, school education said Nagaland is in the top 5 among the states for using Micro-Improvement Approach in schools.
This approach collectively helps to enhance and showcase innovations in reading and learning and helps bridge the DIKSHA project.
He also said that it was a team effort by the districts and the state for making the festival successful.
He informed that Mantra 4 Change and Shiksha Lokam have been instrumental in helping the festival become a success.
‘Reading is an important aspect of foundational literacy’
Temsunaro Aier, State Mission Director, Samagra Shiksha Nagaland said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has highlighted Foundational Literacy & Numeracy (FLN) as a focus area for education intervention.
“Reading is an important aspect of Foundational literacy and the development of reading skills requires an approach that suits the learner's requirements,” she said.
She said that school leaders are well positioned to assess these requirements, generate ideas and drive solutions with their teams to facilitate a love for reading among students.
The Nagaland Reading Festival (NRF) conducted on DIKSHA portal (001) under Micro Improvement Plan from October 2021-November 2022 gave this opportunity to school heads and teachers where we have witnessed creative & innovative ways to generate interest in reading, enhance pupils comprehension of texts as well as read correctly, she said. This activity has witnessed the increase in usage of DIKSHA Platform by the teachers in the schools. She acknowledged the Shiksha Lokam, Bangalore for being a source of constant support throughout the journey till today.
NEP 2020 envisages the shift in pedagogy to activity-based learning where school heads and teachers are required to lead the transformation of schools through innovative practices, she said.
Shruti Fauzdar, Lead, Solution Design Shiksha Lokam Bangalore shared experience with NRF. Daniel Thong, Sr Lecturer, SCERT led the presentation of awards. Rev. Suhuto Chishi, Youth Secretary, NBCC invoked God’s blessing. GMS Merhulietsa Kohima presented NIPUN Nagaland theme song.
Special appearance and entertainment was led by MokoKoza and Avisa.
The programme was organised by Directorate of School Education and Samagra Shiksha Nagaland.
(With inputs from DIPR)
