Bhubaneswar: Four teachers from Odisha were among 82 from across the country who received the prestigious National Teachers’ Awards from President Droupadi Murmu at a special ceremony in New Delhi Teachers’ Day Saturday.
While 48 teachers were from the Department of School Education and Literacy, 21 teachers and faculty members were from higher education institutions and polytechnics. A total of 13 skill trainers from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship also received the awards.
Padaraj Umakant Nayak, a teacher at Alipingal High School in Jagatsinghpur district; Mohammad Zafar Alam, a teacher at the Eklavya Model Residential School in Karanjia of Mayurbhanj district; Dr Srikant Golapudi, an assistant professor in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at IIT Bhubaneswar; and Pranab Kumar Choudhury, a teacher at the Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC), Bhubaneswar, were the awardees from Odisha.
On the occasion, the President highlighted the importance of educational excellence, skill development and entrepreneurship for the country’s development. She said education was the most effective means of realising the ideal of “equality of opportunity” enshrined in the Constitution. “School education is the foundation of the education system,” she said.
By focusing sincerely on children’s intellectual, physical and moral development in the early grades, teachers can help prepare the next generation to become better students and responsible citizens, she added. Murmu said teachers must work with dedication to ensure that every child has access to quality education while helping develop knowledge, motivation and sensitivity among students.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the teachers at his residence in New Delhi. During the interaction, they shared with Modi the innovative and creative methods they had adopted to make classroom learning more engaging and effective.
Modi urged teachers not to limit their role to students’ academic performance and examination results, but also to pay attention to their behaviour, mindset and daily lives. He called on teachers to help children stay away from intoxicating substances.
Modi also expressed concern over the increasing amount of screen time among children. He advised them to engage with parents and encourage children to participate in sports, physical activities and creative pursuits.
