Kohima, November 22 (MExN): The All Nagaland Hindi Teachers Union (ANHTU) commemorated its silver jubilee celebration on November 22 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima.
The celebration was graced by Governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya as the keynote speaker and Menukhol John, Principal Secretary, School Education as the Guest Speaker.
Emphasising on the importance of one's mother tongue and local dialect, Governor Acharya once again reiterated that one's language is one's identity. Hindi being the national language of India must be given its due honor, which will also enable to retain its national character, he said.
Acknowledging the efforts of Hindi teachers in Nagaland, Acharya maintained that teachers are instrumental in moulding and nurturing students. The Governor also stated that the role of education is not just to provide knowledge but to empower the people with the knowledge to work.
Congratulating the ANHTU for completing 25 years, Wonthungo Tsopoe, Director of School Education expressed that the commemoration is also important for the Department of School Education. The commemoration should also be a time to reflect on whether Hindi learning is going in the right direction, viewed Tsopoe.
In the past, Hindi learning was taken casually however in recent years, the language is being valued in the State.
Sharing his experiences travelling outside the state and the country, Tsopoe noted that Hindi is a renowned language globally, and the language holds much importance for government officials too especially while attending meetings at the Centre.
"We have been assigned a big responsibility of teaching Hindi to our children which is not an easy task. You must create joyful learning in classrooms. Hindi should not be put in a small box of textual learning. We must work together to make Hindi more vibrant," stated Tsopoe.
The DoSE Director also pointed out the fear psychosis of Hindi among children which must be changed and the efforts must be taken by Hindi teachers to change the attitude of students about Hindi and make Hindi learning more meaningful. "Our prime duty is to give our best service to our children. You must work where you are posted," said Tsopoe, while also reminding the Hindi teachers to perform their duties besides asserting their rights.
The asset of Hindi teachers in Naga society was highlighted by Guest Speaker Menukhol John who viewed that Hindi teachers can manage to speak and write in English and Hindi, which has proven to be an asset for students in Nagaland. Mention was made about Hindi teachers posted in remote areas where they not only teach Hindi but are compelled to teach other subjects including Math and Science. John acknowledged these efforts while attributing some Hindi teachers of being good mathematicians as well. John wished the teachers to be the 'double blessings' in their place of posting while also urging them to re-commit themselves to take Hindi language to greater heights.
A report of the ANHTU was presented by General Secretary, AS Yarthotngam, while jubilee greetings were delivered by Zakienei Khoubve, first president of ANHTU.
A history of the ANHTU
Following deliberations on a need to form a Hindi Teachers' group for years, the All Nagaland Hindi Teachers' Union was formed in 1993 with the motto 'Tamasoma Jyotirgamay' meaning 'Lead unto light from Darkness'. The Union was formed to safeguard the rights and undertake welfare activities of all Hindi teachers and to promote unity and cooperation among its members. Another aim was to organise cultural activities and events for the progressive use of Hindi. Following the formation of ANHTU, the Union initiated Hindi Divas with the objective to promote, generate and celebrate the language of Hindi among the people. The Divas is celebrated every year during the Hindi fortnight from September 14 to 21 in the State and district level.
