Meghalaya joined hands with the rest of India to celebrate the 61st Teachers’ Day today with great fervour and exuberance.
The main event was organised by the Education Department at U Soso Tham Auditorium here, with Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui handing out State Teacher Awards to 13 educators. He also congratulated Gamchi Timre R Marak, who received the National Teacher Award from President Draupadi Murmu in New Delhi today.
While lauding the dedication of the teaching community, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, Rymbui said that it was not easy for teachers to transform formal classroom teaching to online teaching but overcame these hardships in providing the best services to the students.
Acknowledging that teachers face numerous other challenges such as pay disparity and untimely disbursement of salary, the minister said that the government is committed to addressing these issues.
The state awards were bestowed upon Lasubon Shullai, assistant teacher of Laittyra UP School; Dibiland Iawphniaw, the Headmaster of Malaisohmat UP School; Sidamon Kurbah, Headmistress of Wahrit Government UP School; Bioles Lyngdoh, assistant teacher of Mawthawpdah (Deficit) UP School; Dipak Kumar Saha, assistant teacher of Government Boys HS School in Jowai; Arun Kumar, Principal of Seinjait Tuber HS School; TP Tmung, Principal of Umroi Presbyterian HS School; Jeremias Kharbani, Headmaster of Mangsang Sec School; Dominic Marak, assistant teacher of Don Bosco HS School, Mendal; Jairaj Chetry, Headmaster of Gorkha Deficit UP School in Tura; Hezillina T Sangma, head teacher at Akkonggre Government LP School; Dewbarlinda B Sangma, Headmistress of Ampati Deficit UP School; and Lindstorm K Marak, Headmaster of Rugapara Deficit Secondary School
District awards for East Khasi Hills were also conferred at the programme. There were 33 district awardees across the state this year.
A special award for inclusive schools was conferred upon Josephine Lyngdoh, special educator at the Mary Rice Centre for Special Education, Laitumkhrah, Shillong.
The day was also celebrated in other parts of the state.
In Nongpoh, a Teachers’ Day function was held at the District Library Auditorium where local MLA Mayralborn Syiem was the chief guest in the presence of Jiran MLA Sosthenes Sohtun and Umroi legislator George Lyngdoh. District awards for Ri-Bhoi were distributed at the programme.
In Resubelpara, North Garo Hills, Deputy Speaker and local MLA Timothy D Shira feted the selfless service of the teaching fraternity. Deputy Commissioner RP Marak also lauded the sincere dedication of teachers, especially in the spread of awareness about Covid-19.
Jowai MLA Wailadmiki Shylla was the chief guest at the Teachers’ Day function for West Jaintia Hills. He congratulated the teachers on their auspicious day and acknowledged their sincere efforts and dedication.
Cabinet minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar was the chief guest in Mawkyrwat. While speaking on the occasion, he expressed his gratitude towards the teachers for their hard work, effort and dedication in providing us with proper knowledge and wisdom to lead a responsible life as well as in character building and for the inspiration that drives us to do well and succeed in life.
Private organisations also celebrated the day.
More than 300 children from different SPARK centres, from Mawlynrei Traishnong, Mawlong, Rangmen and Nongsder, came together to honour their teachers in their own sincere innocent ways.
The programme was organised with utmost zeal breaking all the burdens of stress, worries and anxiety and filling the day with joy, fun and excitement.
The programme started with the prayer service by these children loaded with so much innocence praying to the Almighty for the wellbeing of all. The children also prayed for the safety and well being of their dear teachers and all others as well as paying a tribute to their teachers for the support, encouragement , love and care they have been receiving which have brought so much positive changes in the lives of these children.
Each of the participants including children, teachers, interns, and the community all put their wholehearted efforts to make the day special for their loving teachers. The programme consisted of Teacher’s Day cake cutting and cultural programmes by the children and their teachers making the whole atmosphere so light, spreading laughter and joy among all present.
The children participants consisted of rag pickers, domestic helpers, working children, street children, slum children, school drop-outs, cowboys, and other underprivileged children from East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi.
In Shillong, Martin Luther Christian University, with the help of its Student Council, organised an event for all teaching and non-teaching staff as a token of appreciation for their hard work and dedication towards the students.
The president of the Student Council, Lemuel C Debbarma, showed the students’ gratefulness and appreciation of the teachers and staff through his welcome address.
The programme ended with the presentation of the Award for Excellence, which was presented to 30 teaching staff from across the departments for their exemplary teaching.
