Two Bihar educators selected for National Teacher’s Awards 2024

The teachers are Sikendra Kumar Suman, the principal-in-charge of Tarhani New Primary School in Kaimur district and Dr Meenakshi Kumari, teacher at Shiv Ganga Girls High School in Madhubani district.

Two Bihar educators have been selected for the National Teacher’s Award 2024 by the Union education ministry.

Sikendra Kumar Suman (left) and Dr. Meenakshi Kumari. (Sourced photos.)

The teachers — Sikendra Kumar Suman, the principal-in-charge of Tarhani New Primary School in Kaimur district and Dr Meenakshi Kumari, teacher at Shiv Ganga Girls High School in Madhubani district — will be felicitated by President Draupadi Murmu on Teacher’s Day at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on September 5.

The award is given to teachers for outstanding contribution in the field of education. Altogether, 50 teachers from all over the country have been selected for the prestigious award. They will be given a cash prize of ₹50,000, a silver medal and a citation.

Born in a Scheduled Caste (SC) family in Kudra block of Kaimur, Sikander was appointed on a contractual basis as a panchayat teacher in 2007 and rose to the rank of headmaster in 2012.

He is credited with ICT education and structural development with people’s funding in a government primary school in the remote and underdeveloped village of south Bihar.

His digital zoo, virtual world tour and ‘talking books’ programmes are very popular among children.

His ‘smart class’ with audio visual learning system, automatic school bell, CCTV surveillance, online examination and results using Google educational tools, stand out for a school in the interior parts of Bihar.

Dr. Meenakshi has been famous for her campaign for girl students called ‘Study Yourself and Teach Others’. She also spreads awareness on the idea of self-reliance in women, the dowry system, child marriage, etc., besides educating girls and women in the area about the use of sanitary pads and napkins.

Born as the eldest daughter of chemistry professor Dr Mahesh Chandra Chaudhary, Meenakshi always dreamt to do something special for society and has made exemplary efforts to bring SC and minority children back in schools.