Little reporters' to QR-coded trees: 82 teachers felicitated with national award, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• Eighty-two teachers were felicitated with the National Teachers' Awards on Teachers Day.
• President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards to educators from three departments.
• Awardees were recognized for innovative teaching methods, including home-reading campaigns, "little reporters" initiatives, and digital mapping of campus trees using QR codes.
• The awards covered 48 teachers from the Department of School Education and Literacy, 21 from higher educational institutions, and 13 skill trainers from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Detailed Insights:

• The awards ceremony takes place annually on September 5th, marking the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
• The President emphasized education as a means to achieve equality of opportunity and acknowledged teachers' role in reducing primary school dropout rates.
• She highlighted the importance of instilling knowledge, morality, and sensitivity in students from childhood.
• The President also underscored the national priority of establishing India as a global skill capital and knowledge superpower.
• Notable awardees included Dr. Archana Shukla for ecological stewardship and QR-coded tree mapping, and Sunita Yadav for community initiatives like Nyota Bhojan and Ghar Ghar Pustak Vachan.
• Divyendu Sen was recognized for pioneering the Virtual Biology Laboratory and "Tree Talk" system, making STEM education accessible.
• Other innovations included tech-enabled learning for girls, low-cost educational solutions, and the "Educational Parenting" initiative.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Teachers' Awards: An annual award by the President of India to recognize meritorious teachers for their contributions to education.
• Teachers Day: Celebrated on September 5th in India to honor teachers and commemorate Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's birth anniversary.
• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A comprehensive framework aiming to transform India's education system with a focus on holistic, multidisciplinary, and skill-based learning.
• Skill India Mission: A government initiative launched in 2015 to empower youth with market-relevant skills to enhance employability and economic growth.