Srinagar: Hailing the efforts of the Education Department, Principal Secretary School Education Department, B K Singh, Tuesday, said that his efforts are aimed at making the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) as the foremost institution of the country.
Singh was speaking at a two-day orientation workshop of master trainers and resource persons organised by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) at the conference hall of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) Srinagar.
“We’re in the process of revamping the SCERT in a big way by appointing staff on merit basis through nominations and selections,” Singh said. “Our aim is to see the SCERT as the No.1 training and research institution of the country.”
Singh stressed on creating a working synergy between the NIOS and the Education Department.
“The expertise of NIOS, which has done a tremendous amount of work over the years, can be utilized in mainstreaming the out-of-school children,” Singh said. “Around 45,000 out-of-school children need immediate rehabilitation.”
While Singh was being shown around, he took a strong notice of the defunct SCERT auditorium and issued on-the-spot instructions to make it fully functional as soon as possible.
“It’s a matter of grave concern that a magnificent building such as this has been left to ruins,” Singh rued. “I expect the next Teachers’ Day celebrations will be held in this auditorium.”
Singh also stressed on the need to focus on the output of the training given to the teachers and other resource persons.
“Unless the output of the training is measured on the ground, we shall not be in a position to gauge our success,” Singh said. “The ultimate beneficiary of any training should be the student.”
Singh while touring the library at the SCERT focused on procuring more books especially on Science.
“The mechanism of borrowing a book from the library is primitive,” Singh observed. “In an era of digital age, we can’t afford to see a library functioning in any other mode but automatic.”
Singh also visited the School Leadership Academy (SLA) office housed in Ustad Ghar and interacted with the staff there. He was apprised of the programs conducted by the Academy ever since its conception by Nodal Officer, SLA, Dr Fayaz Ahmad Bhat.
Singh, while winding up the tour, stressed on conducting residential programs for teachers especially and maintaining better cleanliness of the premises.