3 UP teachers to get national award for drive & innovation

Lucknow: Three meritorious teachers from UP have been selected by the Centre for this year’s national awards. The teachers are being honoured for their efforts in improving enrolment, motivating students to attend school regularly and taking teaching-learning to higher levels by bringing in innovation to classrooms.

In all, 47 teachers from across the country will be honoured on the eve of Teacher’s Day celebrated on September 5. The three from UP are — Mohammed Ishrat Ali, head teacher in a primary school, Rajwana in Mainpuri; Snehil Pandey, head teacher in a primary school Soharamau, Nawabganj in Unnao; and Vikas Kumar, principal, SD Inter College Meerapur, in Muzaffarnagar.

Snehil Pandey | Disturbed with lower rate of girls enrolling in schools, Snehil launched a unique scheme after taking over as school head in 2015 — of gifting a bicycle to one girl, who travelled to school from the farthest place on foot, from her own salary. As a result, there are 136 girls as against 130 boys currently enrolled in her school. “The initiative helped us in mobilising people. In many cases, we saw siblings too joining our school,” said Snehil, who dropped her studies in homeopathy to take up the cause of children.

Promoting joyful learning in her school, she helped increase enrolment, from 60 in 2014 to 266 this year, by community participation. The school boasts of its own website, a students’ newspaper and a music band. Each student at her school has adopted a plant. These measures have generated positive vibes among children. In addition, there is a library for parents. During the Covid-induced lockdown, Snehil took help from alumni to connect with students for online classes.

Ishrat Ali | Six years ago when Ali took over as the school head, there were 78 students enrolled in the school. And of this, only 45% attended school on an average. Through innovative experimentation and social participation, the number today stands at 216, and the attendance on any given day is above 85%. “Using my own money, I started a stationery corner where students got stationery for free,” said Ali. In 2015, Ali’s school bagged the best school title in the state. Using the prize money, the school bought furniture for the students. Projectors were purchased to set up smart classes. “When I was promoted as head teacher to another school in 2014, my students staged a stir-in before the DM. I was honoured by the love and affection of little children. Subsequently, I was promoted to the same school,” Ali said.

Vikas Kumar | To make teaching-learning attractive, Vikas used videos on various topics and included characters like ‘Motu-Patlu’ which made topics interesting for students. In 2010, when Kumar took over as a school head, there were 767 students (from class IX to XII).

Today, the student strength in his school is 2,350. “We engaged students in making innovative models in Atal innovation lab. Our focus is to develop, in students, a scientific temper,” said Kumar. In his school, he has initiated a unique bank where students deposit 10 unused pens and in return, they are given one new pen, free of cost. He motivates students to take up social work and to build community assets.


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