TENGAPANI, May 29: A thirty-five-day workshop on the revised Tai Khamti script and literature began at the Golden Pagoda monastery here in Namsai district on Tuesday.
Ninety students are attending the crash course, the classes of which will begin on 31 May. The workshop is being organized by the Tai Khamti Heritage & Literary Society (TKHLS), in coordination with the Tai Khamti Literary Board (TKLB) and the Tai Khamti Literacy Committee (TKLC).
Addressing the inaugural function, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said the Thai Khamti script will be introduced as third language in the “Khamti-inhabited schools” in the district from the coming academic session.
Urging the trainees to learn with dedication, he announced that it is from among the successful trainees that the third language teachers will be recruited, “for which the proposal for 37 posts of teachers has been sent to the government.”
Mein expressed happiness that the department of Pali & Buddhist Studies of the Arunachal University of Studies, Namsai, has proposed to introduce the teaching of Tai Khamti script and literature in their university. He also urged the authorities of Pali Vidyapeeth College to teach the Pali script and literature to their students.
Mein assured every possible support and help from the legislators of the district for preservation, promotion, and successful implementation of the third language.
The DCM also released the Workbook Edition-I on Tai Khamti script, published by the TKHLS and sponsored by the education department.
Planning Parliamentary Secretary Chau Zingnu Namchoom in his speech emphasized on preservation, reformation, and promotion of the local language among the young generations.
“There will be no political interference in the recruitment of the third language teachers, which shall be done purely on merit basis,” he promised.
Deputy Commissioner RK Sharma lauded the contributions of the legislators and NGOs of the district in bringing out the revised script of the Tai Khamti literature and making it ready for introduction in the schools as the third language.
DDSE Talom Pabin highlighted the government’s education policy to encourage and promote local dialects/languages, and informed that the government has already sanctioned fund for publication of books in the Tai Khamti script.
TKHLS advisor Chow Suwinwai Longkan, general secretary Chow Kalingna Mannoi, Tai Khamti Singpho Council president Chow Khamsen Namchoom, and Tai Khamti Literacy Committee vice-chairman Chow Wating Namchoom also spoke.
The dignitaries also paid tributes to Ven Silavangsa Mahathero, who passed away a few days ago, and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
