Chief Minister Pawan Chamling presented the awards to the above teachers.
The awardees were Shanti Wangchuk (primary teacher of Rangpo JHS), CC Lhamu, principal (Deorial Girls SSS), GS Rizal (headmaster, Ringyang Primary School), TP Sharma (headmaster, Bermoik Martam secondary school), Phigoo Tshering Bhutia (headmaster, Nampatam Primary School), Ong Tshering Lepcha (Mangan SSS), Rudramani Pradhan, (headmaster, Kartikey JHS) and Bimla Rai (principal, Namchi Girls SSS).
Commendation certificates were also presented to 14 teachers on the occasion. Duga Secondary school received the Best Government School award in tree plantation while Puspanjali Vidyalaya, East Sikkim was bestowed with Best Private School award in overall performance.
In his speech to a large gathering of teachers from different parts of the State, the Chief Minister called upon the teachers to ensure cent- percent enrollment in the schools and to see that each and every child is admitted to the school in the State.
Reiterating his Government’s resolve to create a skilled, capable and world class efficient manpower out of the youth of the State, Mr. Chamling urged the teachers to help materialize the goal by infusing a sense of competitiveness among the students. The State government will not spare any efforts to fulfill its responsibilities to teachers to make teaching a prestigious profession, he said.
At the same time, the Chief Minister advised the teachers who are not serious about their profession and responsibility for making the future of Sikkim bright to gracefully bow out.
The Chief Minister stressed that the State Government is according top priority to education with 20 percent of budget allocated for the purpose. He announced that no teacher will remain untrained in the next five years informing that the government is soon going to open a B.Ed college and a Primary Teachers’ Training Institute for quality education in Sikkim.
Mr. Chamling said that if needed, the teachers may be sent to institutions outside the State too for training. He called up the teachers to be visionary in their approach and come forward to share their ideas with the State government. He urged the retired teachers to render their services on contractual basis in the B.Ed. Colleges for their next five years till the regular appointments are made for B.Ed teachers.
Referring to various demands presented earlier by the teachers’ association representatives, the Chief Minister said that the State Government will do all possible for their welfare but the teachers should also compare the educational infrastructure and facilities to teachers in other States too.
State HRD minister NK Pradhan said that tremendous responsibilities lie upon the shoulders of teachers to shepherd 11800 students of Sikkim to a proper direction and bright future. Though the role of parents is also important, the major responsibility lies with the teachers as students spend most of their time with them, he said.
The State government is serious for quality education but it will not succeed without the participation of the teachers, Mr. Pradhan said.
