Tawang, Aug 18: A three-day Capacity Building Programme for Primary Teachers of Tawang District commenced today at Timilo Boutique, Tawang, with primary teachers from across the district participating in the programme.

The training programme is being organised by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Itanagar, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, with the objective of strengthening the professional competencies of primary teachers and enhancing the quality of classroom teaching and learning.

The inaugural session was graced by Deputy Commissioner Tawang Namgyal Angmo, IAS, as the Chief Guest. Also present were Deputy Director of School Education (DDSE), Tawang, Hridar Phuntsok; Assistant Director, SCERT, Mudang Omo; and resource persons from the Reach and Teach Foundation, the knowledge partner of the Department of Education, Government of Arunachal Pradesh.

Delivering the welcome address, Assistant Director, SCERT, Mudang Omo highlighted the purpose and importance of the initiative. He informed that, based on feedback received from teachers, the need was felt to provide focused capacity-building training specifically for teachers at the primary level, as they play a crucial role in laying a strong educational foundation for children. Accordingly, the programme has been specially designed for primary teachers and is being conducted across the State.

Addressing the participants, DDSE Tawang Hridar Phuntsok informed that a district-level capacity-building programme for teachers had also been conducted recently. Emphasising the importance of continuous professional development, he said that teachers need to constantly upgrade themselves in keeping with the growing demands and changing requirements of education.

“As teachers, we must continue enriching ourselves with new knowledge, skills and teaching techniques so that we can effectively pass on knowledge to our students,” he said, encouraging the participants to make the best use of the training opportunity.

In her address, Deputy Commissioner Namgyal Angmo, IAS, urged the participating teachers to remain sincere, attentive and actively engaged throughout the programme so that the three days of training translate into meaningful outcomes in their classrooms.

She stressed that the sessions should be interactive and encouraged teachers to openly share innovative teaching techniques, methodologies and best practices being followed in their respective schools so that participants could learn from one another's experiences.

Highlighting the critical role of primary teachers in foundational learning, the Deputy Commissioner said that teachers at the primary level are among the most important components of a child's educational journey. She urged them to go beyond traditional methods of teaching and make conscious efforts to inculcate critical thinking, curiosity and book-reading habits among children from an early age, thereby helping them build a strong foundation for future learning.

The Deputy Commissioner also requested SCERT to consider implementing a structured curriculum for pre-primary/Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to further strengthen children's foundational learning and improve their readiness for formal schooling.

She further expressed gratitude to SCERT and its knowledge partner, the Reach and Teach Foundation, for reaching out to the border district of Tawang and conducting capacity-building programmes for teachers in the district both last year and this year.

Over the next three days, the participating teachers will engage in a series of interactive learning and capacity-building sessions aimed at enriching classroom practices, strengthening teaching methodologies and improving foundational education across the district.

The programme underscores the importance of continuous professional development of teachers in creating meaningful and child-centric learning environments.

Empowered teachers build empowered classrooms, and empowered classrooms lay the foundation for a brighter future for our children. (DIPRO)