Dharamshala: The Education Secretary recently concluded his official visit to schools in South India, which was part of an educational assessment tour that took place from April 11th to April 20th, 2023. On April 14th, he arrived at the Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement, where he was warmly welcomed by the settlement officers of Lugsam and Dekyi Larsoe. During his two-day visit to Bylakuppe, the Secretary visited STS Bylakuppe, STS CVP, and TCV Bylakuppe, followed by his visits to the primary and pre-primary schools of STS Kailashpura, STS Arlikumari, and STS Chowkur. Throughout the visit, the Secretary inspected classrooms, interacted with students, and had separate meetings with parents and teachers.
For the final leg of the tour, the Secretary arrived at the Doeguling Tibetan settlement on April 17th, and continued his assessment tour in schools, visiting STS Mundgod, STS Mundgod (C1), STS Mundgod (C6), and nine pre-primary schools.
While addressing the students, the Secretary emphasised the importance of building a strong foundation of education at the primary level, as outlined in the Basic Education Policy, to attain excellence and professionalism. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of possessing a rational mind capable of distinguishing between beneficial and detrimental decisions, as well as the significance of making informed choices rather than blindly following the crowd. The Secretary drew upon the wisdom of Sakya Lekshey to reinforce his point, quoting, “The wise, when studying suffer pains; without exertion, it is impossible to become wise. He, that is passionate for a small pleasure, can never reach great peace,” and urged the students to begin working diligently from an early age to hone their competencies and develop their leadership skills. He also addressed various other topics such as the new scholarship program, skill-based multiskill and entrepreneurship program at school, and POCSO acts.
The Secretary stressed the vital role parents play in nurturing their children and urged them to take on this responsibility during his speech to the parents. He emphasised that schools and the department cannot solely shape students’ careers, and parents must also actively participate in their child’s education and holistic growth, including their physical, emotional, and social well-being, by creating a nurturing and supportive home environment, where children feel safe, loved, and encouraged to explore their interests and passions.
Speaking to the teachers, the Secretary spoke about the teaching profession and lauded it as a courageous and noble calling, stressing that not everyone possesses the requisite qualities to become an effective educator. He also shared that the department considers the teacher’s professional building as one of the priorities and encourages them to enrol in short-term online courses. Moreover, the Secretary suggested the book “Divaswapna” as a resource to gain a deeper comprehension of child development and improve teaching abilities. He expressed that the book would serve as a source of inspiration and guidance in their profession, which may ultimately be beneficial to both the teachers and students.
Before departing to Dharamsala, the Secretary had a meeting with representatives of the monasteries, school heads, and the camp leader to address their concerns mainly related to schools and others.
