Principal Secretary AH & Veterinary, GHP Raju has stressed on application of the ‘Pygmalion or Rosenthal Effect’ by teachers to improve student’s performance.
“The Rosenthal effect is applicable to every teacher because if a teacher doubts the ability of their students they will never shine. I beseech upon every teacher not to doubt the ability of your students,” Raju said at a meritorious award ceremony for students held at U Soso Tham auditorium today.
He said he is concerned with the rise in rate of school drop outs in the state, which is considered as the educational hub of the northeast. “If I am a teacher and learn about a student who drops out of school, my attention and attachment will be to find out the reason why the student chose to drop out and whether it is an economic, social, personal or any other reasons,” he said.
Raju further said teaching is a noblest of all professions and teachers are like candles who can light up the lamp of knowledge and produce students to become lifetime learners. He urged teachers not to take teaching not just a job but a service and a mission.
Pointing out that the literacy rate in Kerala is 99.99 per cent and Mizoram with 98.5 per cent, Raju said Meghalaya is still rated at 70 per cent. “I want to see and pledge that during the Golden Jubilee statehood, our state will achieve 100 per cent literacy,” Raju said.
The principal secretary also announced his contribution of Rs 50,000 to the organisers of the award ceremony, the Raid Laban Sports, Social and Cultural Organization, Kench’s Trace, as assistance to the school dropouts and BPL families.
Earlier, South Shillong MLA and cabinet minister Sanbor Shullai said that the organisation has always felicitated students from weak economic backgrounds even if they did not excel in various examinations to give them encouragement.
“In our experiences we learn that students who did not do very well in their earlier examinations came out with flying colours in their future examinations because of such kinds of encouragement given to them,” he added.
At the function more than 400 students were felicitated and laptops were also distributed to around 60 toppers who excelled in various examinations.
