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JOTSOMA — Government High School (GHS) Thahekhu in Dimapur on Wednesday emerged as the winner of PM SHRI Schools state-level choir competition held at RCEMPA in Jotsoma under Kohima district.
The winners fetch the prize money of INR 30,000 and the runners-up team Mayangnokcha Government Higher Secondary School in Mokokchung received the cash award of INR 20,000.
A total of nine PM SHRI Schools representing four districts of Nagaland competed on the occasion and all the participating schools were also presented with a guitar and a digital piano.
The competition was organised by Nagaland Education Mission Society, Samagra Shiksha Nagaland with Music Academy Kohima (MAK) as the resource and mentor partner.
Speaking at the event, the special guest and project director of Task Force for Music and Arts (TaFMA), Dr. Hovithal Sothu, enlightened the students about the various initiatives undertaken by TaFMA for promotion of music, performing arts and others internationally, nationally and within the state under the visionary leadership of Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio.
He observed that Nagas in general are all musicians pointing out that without being taught, the people can sing and perform. He went on to highlight the scope and avenues of choosing to be a musician and asked the students to take up as a profession.
He also appreciated the Samagra Shiksha Nagaland for coming up with the noble plan of introducing music as an extra-curricular activity in the PM SHRI Schools in the state, which according to him is a unique of its kind in the country. He maintained that Nagaland with TaFMA is the only state in the country that has a specialised set up for music.
The project director also exhorted the students that there is no room for mediocre people in the present world including Nagaland and advised the students to develop professionalism with hard work.
The joint mission director and state nodal officer of PM Shri School Samagra Shiksha, Dr. Kevizakie Rio, in his keynote address, said that the Prime Minister School for Raising India (PM SHRI) was launched on September 7, 2022, and the schools are expected to be exemplar schools and need to show the path and lead the way.
He said the PM SHRI Schools are different from others as they are going to implement all the programmes that are encapsulated in the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Dr. Rio informed that under PM SHRI Schools, Nagaland is the first in the country to launch music as an extra-curricular activity as the department realised the music talents and potential of the students.
Khyochano TCK, director of Music Academy Kohima (MAK) stated that the mentoring programme for the teachers started from February 23 and added that even without completion of a month's time the choir competition has been organised.
On the occasion, a guest performance was made by the Ethnic Future.
Advisor of School Education and SCERT, Dr. Kekhrielhulie Yhome; mission director of Samagra Shikhsha Nagaland, Temsunaro Aier, and other officials from the department witnessed the competition.