Tripura focuses on early childhood education through intensive teacher training programme
Agartala, May 18
Emphasizing the critical role of early childhood education in nation-building, Tripura Education Secretary Milind Dharmarao Ramteke stressed that maximum importance must be given to pre-primary education while addressing the concluding session of a five-day teacher training workshop organised by the Directorate of Elementary Education in West Tripura district.
The training programme, which commenced on May 12, brought together 100 teachers from 94 newly established government pre-primary schools introduced during the 2026-27 academic session. The workshop aimed to equip teachers with practical skills in play-based teaching methodologies designed to strengthen foundational learning among children.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Ramteke highlighted that a child's brain development is nearly complete by the age of six, making the period between three and six years extremely crucial for holistic growth and future learning. Referring to the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, he stated that pre-primary education has been made mandatory to ensure strong foundational education for children across the country.
The Education Secretary urged teachers to first earn the trust and confidence of children, stating that only then would students genuinely absorb the education and positive values imparted in classrooms. He further observed that the vision of a "Developed India" depends largely on proper education and that teachers play the most vital role in shaping the nation's future.
He cautioned that innovative initiatives undertaken by the Education Department would succeed only if teachers demonstrate commitment, sincerity, and responsibility.
A special exhibition showcasing teaching-learning materials prepared by participating teachers was also organised during the concluding ceremony. Handmade puppets, low-cost teaching-learning materials (TLMs), and demonstrations of their classroom applications drew considerable appreciation from guests and participants alike.
The programme was attended by Joint Director of the Directorate of Elementary Education Harshita Biswas, and OSD Abhijit Samajpati, alongside the Education Secretary.
Speaking at the event, Harshita Biswas urged teachers to implement the knowledge gained during the five-day training in their respective schools to ensure quality education for children. She also announced that similar training programmes would soon be conducted in phases across all districts of Tripura.
Highlighting the growing public response towards government pre-primary education, she informed that enrolment in government pre-primary schools has increased by around 24 to 25 per cent this year compared to the previous year.
OSD Abhijit Samajpati stated that pre-primary sections have been introduced in 450 schools across Tripura this year to ensure access to early childhood education for children from all socio-economic backgrounds. He further informed that teachers have been provided with daily lesson plans, handbooks, and workbooks for pre-primary classes.
The training programme was conducted by six Master Trainers and six Mentor Trainers experienced in pre-primary teacher training. During the concluding session, both trainers and trainees shared their experiences, while certificates were distributed among participating teachers by the distinguished guests.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Pre-primary education is the foundation of a child's future. But the real test will be how these teachers sustain the play-based methods in overcrowded classrooms. Hope the government provides enough resources beyond just training sessions. 🙏
Good move but why only 94 schools? Tripura has hundreds of villages without any pre-primary facilities. Also, 24-25% enrolment increase sounds promising but we need to see if quality matches quantity. Still, appreciate the effort to focus on early childhood. 👍
Loved the part about earning children's trust first. As a parent, I can say that's more important than any textbook. The handmade puppets and low-cost TLMs show real innovation in resource-constrained settings. Hope this sets a precedent for other northeastern states. 🎭✨
One key thing missing: how will they measure learning outcomes? Just training teachers is not enough without a system to track if kids are actually learning. NEP talks about competency-based assessment, hope Tripura implements that too. Otherwise this is just another tick-box exercise.
Happy to see focus on teacher training! In many states, pre-primary teachers are just asked to 'manage' kids. But play-based learning requires skilled facilitators. The Mentor Trainers concept is smart—peer learning often works better than top-down training. 👩🏫🌟
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