By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Terming teachers as shapers of the future of the society, North Eastern Council (NEC) member PP Srivastava remarked that the teaching fraternity is the sole medium that put students to the ultimate (God) even as he maintained that they have to be respected.
Speaking at a one-day workshop on ‘Faculty Training and Motivation and Adoption of Schools and Colleges by CSIR Labs’ at St. Edmund’s College here on Friday, Srivastava said that the teachers remain the force that moulds the society and continue to remain as the real strength of the nation.
The NEC Member spoke at length on the role of teachers in creating the energy in teaching which remains predominant in the current era of science.
“Teaching of science must start from the primary level and it should be taught in the proper way, hence, there is need that the correct method of teaching science to young students is evolved,” Srivastava said.
Srivastava also stated that the drop in students taking up basic science is not a good scenario for the country while calling upon the science teachers to make teaching of science fascinating and guide students who opt for science to a right direction.
Meanwhile, Director of CSIR, North East Institute of Science & Technology (NEIST) in Jorhat, Dr. RC Boruah mentioned the active role played by CSIR and NEIST in fostering basic science in the society by developing products which are useful to the society and the community.
He called upon the principals of colleges in Shillong and the teachers to use the facilities that CSIR and NEIST have in order to make science meaningful to the society at large.
The coordinator of the workshop, Dr. L Nath gave a data on the drop rate of students opting for basic science from 36% in 1950 to only 15% in 2000. “A decline on students opting for basic science is not healthy for the country”, he said while calling upon the teachers to encourage students to opt for basic science because the country needs scientists and academicians to transform society.
Later, in the valedictory function, ICAR director Dr. SV Ngachan while addressing the gathering as the chief guest insisted on research and collaboration with ICAR.
Meanwhile, St Edmund’s College Principal, Dr Sylvanus Lamare called upon the teachers who have Ph.D to take up projects and utilize the funding that are available while insisting on the teacher to take up research which are indigenous in nature.