Dharamshala: On April 11, 2023, the Education Secretary Jigmey Namgyal, embarked on an official visit to Tibetan schools in South India, accompanied by the project officer Jigme Yangchen. The purpose of the tour was to gain a genuine understanding of the ground reality of the actual conditions, challenges, and successes of the educational environment by engaging directly with students, teachers, and staff.
On 12 April, the officials visited STS Kollegal and its pre-primary school. Secretary in his address to the students, encouraged them to develop good reading habits and emphasised the importance of building a solid foundation in reading and writing from the primary level to foster cognitive and analytical skills. During the visit, the Secretary visited each classroom, interacted with students and teachers, and had separate meetings with the staff. He expressed his sincere appreciation to the teachers for their selfless work in shaping the minds of future leaders and acknowledged their hard work and dedication in imparting knowledge and nurturing young minds.
The Secretary also met with parents and emphasised the importance of a collaborative approach between parents, teachers, and the department in educating children. He spoke about the various activities initiated by the department to educate and encourage parents by creating a holistic learning environment. Furthermore, he spoke about the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and said, “It’s very important to educate our children about the concepts ofgood & bad touch, and how they can protect themselves from any form of abuse.” Additionally, he urged parents and teachers to be vigilant and take necessary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of students.
The following day, the officials departed for Rabgyaling settlement and visited STS Gurupura and pre-primary schools. He engaged in interactive sessions with students, teachers, and parents. During the interaction with the children, the Secretary reminded the students about the profound gratitude of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Central Tibetan Administration, and their parents for their invaluable contributions to their upbringing and education. He also addressed other crucial areas, such as maintaining a balanced diet, limiting screen time, and fostering critical thinking skills to promote holistic development among students. Later, the Secretary met with parents and teachers, and stressed on the need for collaborative efforts in child development and creating a safe space with zero tolerancetowards any form of misconduct.
Addressing the teacher, he said, “We consider the teacher job as the noblest profession and would like to sincerely appreciate your unwavering dedication and selfless service and encourage you to continue your noble service with determination and enthusiasm.” He also assured that their well-being would be protected, with efforts made to create a conducive work environment.
During the interaction with parents, the Secretary spoke about the importance of maintaining a healthy diet with the saying, “Public health is the nation’s health,” and appealed to parents to spend more time with their children and read to them to improve their reading habits. He concluded the meeting with a commitment to continue working towards improving the quality of education and ensuring the well-being of students while requesting parents to share the responsibility of nurturing children positively.
The officials are visiting schools in Bylakuppe and will leave for the Mundgod settlement on April 16, 2023.
