Education department holds state-level award function

KOHIMA — A state-level award function for Nagaland Reading Festival was held at NBCC Convention Centre in Kohima on Friday. The event was organised by School Education directorate and Samagra Shiksha Nagaland, in collaboration with Shiksha Lokam, Bengaluru.

Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, advisor of School Education and SCERT Nagaland, who attended the occasion as special guest, pointed out that various changes have happened tremendously in literacy pertaining to reading and writing. He has also stressed on the need for financial and digital literacy among others.

He made an observation that that the definition of reading has also changed to critical, analytical, interpretative, multi-modal thinking processes to the study of decoding, word recognition, and literal reading.

Yhome also pointed out that reading styles reflect thinking styles--the fast intuitive and emotional versus the slow deliberate and logical and various other that are contributing to reading processes.

He maintained that the Naga society does not have history and follows oral culture and are cognitive by nature which encompasses the social world. He has also highlighted the complexities of the Nagas being exposed to rich linguistic and language exposure including communication.

He maintained that the department, through its literary festival, would encourage reading among the Nagas in different programmes.

Pointing out that children from low-income families have more restriction in accessing books, he urged the teachers to give more attention to those students beyond their tasks of teaching alone.

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He informed that the department would continue to encourage reading along with numeracy and literary.

Meanwhile, the commissioner and secretary of School Education, SCERT and vice chairperson of NEMS, Kevileno Angami, in her speech, maintained that education is a powerful tool that can bring social justice and equality. She has urged to inculcate the habit of reading.

Speeches were also delivered by the principal director of School Education, Thavaseelan K; Temsunaro Aier, state mission director of Samagra Shiksha, while experiences were shared by team members of the Shiksha Lokam, Bangalore.

The programme was chaired by Dr. Bijano Murry, joint mission director of Samagra Shiksha, while an invocation prayer was said Rev. Suhuto Chishi, youth secretary of NBCC. Special item was presented by Moko Koza and the theme song was presented by the students of GMS Merhulietsa Kohima.

The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Kevizakie Rio, joint mission director of Samagra Shiksha.

On the occasion, the advisor also launched three new initiatives namely Literacy and Numeracy Fest under NIPUN Nagaland, Teachers Resource Package, and NIPUN App.

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Meanwhile, Government Primary School, Orchid, under EBRC in Wokha district won the first prize in Nagaland Reading Festival (NRF) followed by Government Middle School, Longdang, under EBRC Noksen in Tuensang and Government Middle School, Piphema Bazaar, under EBRC Medziphema, Chümoukedima, in the second and third positions respectively.

Teachers and students, who have participated at the Kala Utsav National Level Competition 2022-23 held at Bhubaneshwar from January 3 to 7 were also felicitated on the occasion.