Ministry initiates Immersion Programme for Teachers
The Ministry of Education and Skills Development has initiated an Immersion Programme for teachers aimed at enhancing their capabilities to meet the evolving educational needs of students and equip them with skills and knowledge of the 21st century.
As a part of the initiative, twenty-five teachers from 20 Dzongkhags and 4 Thromdes recently completed a twelve-day training program on “Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Teaching-Learning” at the prestigious National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research in Bhopal, the Indian Technical Economic Cooperation (ITEC) institute. The transformative program funded by the Embassy of India in Thimphu unfolded from January 8 to 19.
A pre-departure meeting for participants took place on January 6 at Phuentsholing Primary School and was graced by Mr. Prashant Kumar Das, the Consulate General of India at Phuentsholing representing the Embassy of India.
Yesterday, the Ministry’s Hon’ble Acting Secretary and the Director General of the Department of School Education met with participating teachers providing them an opportunity to share their experiences. During the debriefing program, the teachers expressed their satisfaction emphasizing the educational and practical value of the training and the newfound knowledge in crucial areas.
In addition, the participants had a meeting with the Deputy Chief of Mission, Shri Niteen Subhash Yeola and the First Secretary-Education, Shri Sukhvinder Singh at the Embassy of India in Thimphu. They expressed gratitude for the training provided through ITEC and exchanged insights from their valuable learning experiences.
According to Sonam Zangpo, a participating teacher from Tashidingkha HSS in Punakha, the training covered diverse subjects such as digital pedagogy, the industrial revolution, ICT in Education, Open Educational Resources, Learning Management Systems and the utilization of ICT tools for online teaching and learning among others. It also included a site visit to Sanchi Stupa, a renowned World Heritage site in Madhya Pradesh enhancing the immersive and holistic nature of the training experience.
The Immersion Programme aligns with the Ministry’s commitment to empower educators equipping them to address the challenges and thrive in the 21st century. Given the pivotal role of ICT in digitizing the education system, the success of this program will not only benefit individual teachers but also contribute to the overall advancement of education in Bhutan. The program is also expected to strengthen bilateral educational cooperation between Bhutan and India.