Shillong, Sep 5: Dr. Heipor Uni Bang, Principal and Founder of KB Memorial Secondary School, East Jaintia Hills was honoured with the National Teachers’ Award 2025 today.
He was among 45 educators from across India who was felicitated by President Droupadi Murmu at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, during the Teachers’ Day celebration.
Dr. Bang’s recognition reflects his dedication to education, environmental research, and community service.
An accomplished academic, he completed his PhD in Environmental Management from William Carey University, Nongmensong, with a thesis on “Challenges and Opportunities of Solid Waste Management of East Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya.” He has authored multiple research papers, including those published in the International Journal of Research Education and Scientific Methods (2021) and the International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Science (2020). He has also written Khasi-language textbooks taught up to Class IV and regularly updates his school’s general knowledge materials to include information on district and state affairs.
Dr. Bang began his teaching career in 2009 after completing his MSc in Botany from North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU). He taught at Little Flower Secondary School, Khliehriat, and Rymbai Presbyterian Higher Secondary School before founding KB Memorial Secondary School in 2013 in response to community demand for an affordable English-medium school. Under his leadership, the school has achieved excellence in academics, sports, and cultural activities, becoming runner-up in the State Subroto Mukherjee Cup (Under-14 Boys) in 2023 and 2025 and consistently securing top positions in district-level competitions, including quizzes, debates, essays, and cultural events between 2020 and 2025.
In addition to his role as an educator, Dr. Bang has contributed to community development, serving as a member of the Juvenile Justice Board, Khliehriat, a member of the Red Cross Society in 2015–2016, and as a faculty member at Thomas Jones Synod College, Jowai, between 2014 and 2017. He has also introduced innovative teaching approaches, including the flipped classroom model, which encourages students to become independent learners and fosters better classroom engagement through interactive problem-solving sessions.
Expressing gratitude for the national honour, Dr. Bang said, “This award is a recognition of the collective effort of my family, my colleagues, and the education departments of the district and state. I am deeply grateful to God for guiding me to choose teaching as a profession and to serve society in my own small way.”
As an educationist, he has also put forward key recommendations for strengthening the education system. He appealed for financial support to private schools that make significant contributions to education, particularly in the form of grants-in-aid for infrastructure development and teacher salaries.
He also emphasised the need for the full implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and enhanced support for Children with Special Needs through adequate resources. Further, he urged concerted efforts from all quarters to ensure that quality education is accessible to rural and economically weaker communities.
