SHILLONG: The state’s education department can boast of one thing — training its teachers for the worst situation, or in other words implementing the Teachers Professional Development Program (TPDP).
Call it the farsightedness of the state government but the fact is that many teachers in the state are building resources independently and coming up with innovative strategies to target students who are especially hard-hit.
The lockdown of 14,669 schools in the state has interrupted students’ curriculum. Around 92,1382 students in Meghalaya are facing a learning crisis, disruption in internal assessments and confusion in utilising time productively.
Last year, with the support of the Asian Development Bank, the Directorate of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) and IPE Global implemented the Teachers Professional Development Programme that trained around 3500 teachers and head teachers.
They are preparing lesson plans, rubrics, teaching aids, and using cyber platforms for classes, video and audio lectures, and conducting online meetings of the professional learning communities.
Aibantiplang Rynjah, who is teaching in Mawkhar Christian Higher Secondary School, has recently created a YouTube channel called Minot Thop. Minot Thop in English means diligent or hard-working.
“As a teacher, I thought of ways of teaching the students during this lockdown and realized that the best way to reach those who are eager to learn is through the internet. I have recorded topic wise videos and uploaded them on YouTube. I have also tried my best to make these videos in Khasi as I know that many students in Meghalaya have difficulty in understanding certain concepts which are explained in English,” Rynjah said.
Another teacher, Bakordor Wanlang Bannet from Pariong is leading in tackling the epidemic and related issues like psychosocial care, sexual and reproductive health. Under the project supported by -WHO (World Health Organisation), Bakordor is spreading awareness regarding coronavirus, psychosocial/mental health care, gender-based violence, and promote practices to minimize the risks and develop mechanisms to deal with the public health crisis that is at hand.
“I am also teaching women to stitch their own masks online by providing them measurements and other assistance. As a result, many women have stitched masks not only for themselves but for their neighbours too,” said Bakordor.
She also formed WhatsApp groups to distribute relevant messages with women related to COVID -19, homecare and precautions, psychosocial care and sexual and reproductive health, and domestic violence.
Under the project jointly ventured by WHO, SEWA (Self Employed Women Association), and NEN (North East Network), Bakordor is facilitating a six-week-long course for women to help them deal with this situation.
Besides, the Entrepreneurship Development activities under the Managed Services Operating Partner (MSOP) project have strengthened the efforts of local youths to take part in this unprecedented situation.
There is a shortage of face masks, hand sanitisers and other health products but Meghalaya entrepreneurs are leading the way to ease this problem to some extent.
A Shillong-based entrepreneur, Kynjai Rupa Mawthoh, is one of the hundreds of entrepreneurs under the MSOP project who launched a start-up called ‘Hygenia’ in Shillong. It is a liquid cleaning product industry which is now a great source of motivation to educated but unemployed youths of Meghalaya.
At present, Kynjai is manufacturing hand sanitisers, hand wash and soaps and trying very hard to put in the market when these products are running shortage. Kynjai had successfully utilized her technical know-how acquired through soap making training while manufacturing hand wash and sanitizers and maintaining PH balance.
While another MSOP entrepreneur, Badahun Shisha Sangriang from Mawlai is involved in manufacturing paper bags, jute bags, and handicraft items. Responding to the ongoing global pandemic, Badahun started stitching masks to provide to needy people free of charge. She added that she struggles in finding raw materials but her enthusiasm does not stop her to become a change maker.
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