SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Education, R.C. Laloo, on Monday informed that three Block Institutes of Teachers’ Education will be opened up in the State where teachers will be provided with stipend of Rs.5000 per month.
Laloo made the announcement while addressing a function to observe World Literacy Day on the theme, ‘Making Education a Reality’ at St. Paul Higher Secondary School, Marbisu, on Monday.
Laloo said that the main objective of the programme is to mobilize ‘out of school’ children to attend schools and to also make parents and the community conscious of the importance of education.
“Unless out of schools children are brought back to school, we will not be able to give a literacy mandate”, he said, adding, “In 2011, the literacy rate in Meghalaya was 74.43 %, so it will not be impossible to achieve 100 % literacy rate by 2014.”
Stating that education is a continuous process and that the sole responsibility of education lies with the teachers, he stressed on the need for training of teachers to make teaching more effective.
He urged upon each and every household, locality and other high officials to work together in order to achieve the desired target of Meghalaya to be declared as a 100 % literate state.
“You cannot enjoy freedom unless you are literate,” said P.K. Srivastava, Principal Secretary, Education, while addressing the gathering.
He also underlined the need for enrolment of children in formal schools and the importance of learning and appealed to the teaching community to take teaching not as a means of livelihood and profession but as a responsibility to ensure that children who come to schools do not drop out and also to ensure that the drop outs are brought back to school to promote education in the State.
Cultural programmes and distribution of awards and recognition to the best cluster resource centres and educational volunteers were the highlights of the day.
Meanwhile the District Unit of SSA, West Garo Hills, Tura, observed World Literacy Day at SMELC, Dakopgre, Tura, on Monday. GHADC Chairman, P.K. Sangma attended the gathering as the chief guest.
Speaking to the gathering, Sangma said that the day is observed by UNESCO to encourage and uplift downtrodden children in the field of education.
While congratulating the organizers for their efforts in the cause of education he stressed on the need to have programmes on such significant days in the rural areas where it would be more effective and serve the purpose. He also urged the parents to send their children to school.
Retired Deputy Inspector of Schools, G.R. Marak, said schools are mushrooming in every nook and corner and imparting quality education is the need of the hour. She further stated that the community as a whole should participate in the educational process.