ITANAGAR, 5 Sep: Chief Minister Pema Khandu, along with Education Minister Taba Tedir and Chief Secretary Dharmendra on Monday gave away the State Awards, 2022 to 31 selected teachers working in government and government-aided schools in various parts of the state for their meritorious services.
The awardees this year include five lady teachers and two from government-aided Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas (Oyan and Ziro).
Congratulating the awardees on behalf of the people, Khandu commended the role of teachers, especially those posted in the interior places, in shaping the future generation of the state.
He expressed gratitude to the teachers for imparting quality education to students despite facing several hardships in terms of facilities.
“Though Arunachal Pradesh has been a late starter in almost all sectors, including education, the contribution of our teachers in making education a vibrant sector is immeasurable,” he said.
Khandu said that the role of teachers has increased manifold in modern times due to the advent and influence of the internet.
“We cannot avoid the influence of internet on a student’s formative years, but as teachers, we can guide them to use the web for positive development and knowledge gain,” he said.
Citing lack of adequate infrastructure in several schools of the state, the chief minister said that, under the National Education Policy, “the state government is committed to rebuild all dilapidated schools and provide basic facilities for students as well as teachers, so that they can concentrate on quality education.”
He informed that rebuilding and refurbishing schools “have already begun in a phased manner,” and that by 2030, all required infrastructural requirements would be fulfilled.
He told the chief secretary to ask the DCs and the DDSEs to take stock of every school in their jurisdictions and submit the reports to the government for further action.
On complaints of shortage of teachers in the state, Khandu said that there are 3,600 government and government-aided schools in the state as of date, with 16,000 teachers. “If posting of teachers is rationalised, there will be adequate numbers of teachers for all schools,” he said.
The CM directed the education department to “evolve and implement a robust mechanism for rational transfer and posting of teachers,” and urged the Arunachal Teachers’ Association to “cooperate and assist in the department’s endeavour in this regard.”
He, however, informed that the state government has already approved recruitment of sufficient number of teachers through the state public service commission.
On poor management of schools, especially in the rural areas, Khandu advocated “reviving the system of school management committees, involving local community members.” He said that, earlier, schools were looked after by village community members who ensured proper functioning of the schools.
The chief minister meanwhile informed that the Arunachal State University in Pasighat (East Siang) will start functioning from this year.
Tedir in his address congratulated the teachers “for their hard work that has resulted in a better pass percentage in this year’s Class 10 and 12 examinations.”
After the dismal performance in the previous years, and the Covid hindrance, the pass percentages this year were 40 percent and 79 percent, respectively, for Class 10 and 12 examinations, he said.
“Though we are below par of the national average, it is a positive sign. With our concerted efforts, we aim to touch at least the national average next year,” he said.
Tedir gave assurance that the government is alive to the issues confronting the education sector, and is committed to resolve them.
He informed that regularisation of 118 RMSA and 400 SSA teachers is “under process” and soon the APPSC would be recruiting 482 PGT and TGT teachers. He also informed that the government has requested the APPSC to recruit sufficient number of lecturers and assistant professors for colleges in the state.
The minister sought cooperation from all stakeholders to revitalise the education scenario in the state, and gave assurance that the “government will leave no stone unturned for a massive turnaround in the coming years.”
Earlier, Khandu, Tedir and other dignitaries paid floral tributes to the portrait of former president Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the acclaimed teacher on whose birth anniversary Teachers’ Day is celebrated every year across the country.
List of state awardees (2022): Brajendra Singh, PGT, GHSS, Bomdila; Manmohan Jha, PGT, IGJ GHSS, Pasighat; Moirangthem Surchand Singh, PGT, GHSS, Chongkham; Pradeep Debnath, PGT, GHSS, Namsai; Umesh Kumar, PGT, Dani Kunia GHSS, Ziro; Jome Doji Kadu, Headmistress, GSS, Changlang; Baliram Prasad, TGT, GSS, Toru; Kamaleshwar Prasad Singh, TGT, GHSS, Jang; Pratibha Rani, TGT, GHSS, Dari; Rajendra Prasad, TGT, GSS, Lida; Ram Adya, TGT, IGJ GHSS, Pasighat; Ramesh Chandra Pandey, TGT, GHSS, Tezu; Saraswati Kumari, TGT, GHSS, Ganga; Shyamjee Verma, TGT, GHSS, Mahadevpur; Sumant Kumar Pathak, TGT, GHSS, Nyapin; Tai Kaha, TGT, GHSS, Sangram; Zimen Riba, TGT, GSS, Pachin; Awanish Kumar Singh, TGT, GPS, Raj Bhavan; Genom Yirang, TGT, GUPS Ngopok; Obi Zirdo Rumi, TGT, GUPS, Yupia; Ajit Roy, primary teacher, GUPS, Hote; Madan Mohan Tiwari, primary teacher, GUPS, Tigdo; Tatung Nabam, primary teacher, GUPS, Khodaso; Wangtop Thinra, primary teacher, GPS, New Kothin; Bengia Ramga, TGT (ISSE), GUPS, Rengchi; Limi Kaye, primary teacher (ISSE), GPS, Igo Kato; Ram Avtar Singh Chauhan, primary teacher (ISSE), GSS, Joram; Dawa Ruku, PTI (ISSE), GSS, Tato; Rajib Prasad, principal, VKV, Oyan; K Jaishankar, headmaster, VKV, Ziro; and Sanjay Kumar Sajan, lab assistant, GHSS, Longding. (CM’s PR Cell)
