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3 U.P. teachers among 50 selected for National Teachers’ Award 2023
Three teachers from Uttar Pradesh have been selected for this year's national teacher awards for their efforts in improving enrollment and using innovative teaching methods with the help of technology. They will be honored on Teachers' Day in Delhi.
Three teachers from Uttar Pradesh are among 50 who have been selected from across the country for this year’s national teacher awards. They are being feted for their efforts in improving enrolment and using innovative methods of teaching with the help of Information and communication technology and thereby taking teaching/learning to a higher level.
The department of school education and literacy, Union ministry of education will felicitate them at a national level function on Teachers’ Day (September 5) in Delhi. Three U.P. teachers are Asiya Farooqui, head teacher, primary school, Asti Nagar in Fatehpur, Chndr Prakash Agarwal, principal, Shiv Kumar Agarwal Janta Inter College, Bulandshahr and Sudhanshu Shekhar Panda of KL International School, Meerut.
These teachers were selected through a rigorous selection process. Each award carries a certificate of merit, cash award of ₹50,000 and a silver medal. These three teachers say role of an educator is to spread love and guide students towards a better future.
Asiya Farooqui, 36, principal of primary school, Asti Nagar, Fatehpur district, offered Namaz to thank the Almighty as soon as she got the news. “I am a single teacher and run the school all by myself. There is no shiksha mitra either. I have prepared a team of volunteers who are engaged with me. I pay ₹10,000 from my salary every month for their service,” she said.
Asiya, who has been teaching for 12 years, was transferred to this school in 2016 when there was just seven students. Now, the school has 250 students. “I never beat any student. They are like my children and it is my duty to look after their well being. I have helped several pass out students too,” said Asiya who also bagged the state award for best teacher in U.P. in 2019. She is also the recipient of Mission Shakti award.
“Earlier, the school was in the grip of goons who wanted to take over the property. I took help of police and was attacked by the rowdy elements on a number of occasions. I was able to protect the school which was a place meant for liquor drinking by unruly elements,” she said.
With community help, she transformed the school. According to Asiya, community participation is considered necessary to get support for development of school especially in rural area. “Community plays an important part in the education system. Even parents agree that community support is vital for the success of schools and individual students,” she said.
“Girls’ enrolment at primary stage increased from 15.1% in 2016-17 to 46.7% in 2021-22. The gap and challenge, however, exist at upper primary stage but there too the gap is narrowing steadily,” she said and added that teachers should be a role model for their students.
Sudhanshu Shekhar Panda, 53, has been the principal of KL International School, Meerut for 10 years now. He teaches economics and is a subject expert for CBSE. He said, “I carried out teachers’ training session, held seminars and workshops that helped a number of teachers.”
Panda, who is city coordinator for Meerut district that has 140 CBSE schools, said with honour comes greater responsibilities. With 29 years of experience in the field of education, he has also been the recipient of CBSE Teachers’ Award 2014.
He said responsibility of an educator is to spread knowledge and inspire students to be better citizens. Chndr Prakash Agarwal, 57, principal of Shiv Kumar Agarwal Janta Inter College, Bulandshahr, had also received state award in 2018.
DM Bulandshahr, Chandra Prakash Singh called him to congratulate. With 32 years of experience, he teaches geography in an interesting way. “My father and grandfather were both teachers. They were my role models and had lasting impression on me,” he said.
He became principal in 2011 and has transformed the school since. People generously contributed that helped him change the face of the school. “During Covid times, I worked harder to reach out to students individually over the phone,” he said.
