Union Minister of State for Education Annpurna Devi on Monday presented the prestigious National ICT Awards to 49 teachers across the country.
She congratulated all the awardees for their diligent efforts and innovation in the field of education and for promoting the outreach of technology in their schools even during the COVID pandemic situation.
Speaking on the occasion, she said that the National Education Policy-2020 emphasizes the extensive use of technology in teaching and learning processes, removing language barriers, increasing access for DIVYANG students along educational planning and management.
The education minister informed that the Information and Communication Technology [ICT] intervention under Samagra Shiksha also has a component to provide IT infrastructure to schools and Teacher Education Institutes (TEIs) to facilitate innovative use of ICT in school and teacher education leading to improved quality in all the spheres of school and teacher education.
She highlighted that the flagship projects to bridge the digital divide include DIKSHA, ePathshala, ICT Curriculum for teachers and students, School MOOCs on SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds), PMeVIDYA (One Class One Channel), and NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement) integrated teacher training program through online mode.
These initiatives help in enhancing the access and outreach of technology irrespective of any social, political, economic, or geographic barriers, she added.
She appreciated the role of teachers in nation-building and mentioned that Guru’s are given utmost respect in Indian Society.
She further said that the recent budget announcements by the Govt. of India have provided further impetus to all the digital education initiatives.
Launching 200 DTH TV channels, 750 Virtual labs in science and mathematics, transforming teachers as digital teachers are some of the new budget announcements of our Govt. for 2022-23.
Recognition given in the form of a National Award for school teachers for use of ICT in Education indirectly contributes to motivating teachers to use ICT extensively and significantly in their classrooms through content-pedagogy and technology together.
NCERT adopts a rigorous process in inviting online applications through a dedicated portal, online self-nominations by prospective candidates, receiving nominations from states, UTs and Organizations level authorities, organization of National level jury meeting for final selection through jury, which is being done in a transparent manner.
These ICT Awardees are also being bestowed with a responsibility to function as ICT Ambassadors in widening the outreach of ICT in Education through their continuous efforts by mentoring other teachers and also developing entrepreneurial skills among the students in order to develop a skilled workforce.