Goyal: gender equality imperative
Government teachers from rural Punjab — Pankaj Kumar Goyal and Rajinder Singh — are recipients of the National Teachers Awards 2024 of the Union education ministry.
Newspeg. On the occasion of Teachers Day (September 5), President Droupadi Murmu conferred certificates and Rs.50,000 cash prizes on Goyal of the Government Senior Secondary School for Girls (GSSSG), Barnala, and Singh of Government Primary School (GPS), Goniana Mandi, Bathinda.
Every year, the Union education ministry selects 50 best primary-secondary teachers from across the country for these prestigious awards.
History. A postgraduate in English and political science of Kamraj, Madurai and LPU, Jalandhar universities, Goyal began his career as a government school clerk in 2001 rising to the position of senior teacher at GSSSG, Barnala. A champion of girls education and empowerment, Goyal went beyond the call of duty to provide after-school coaching to girls aspiring to crack the National Means cum Merit Scholarship (NMMS) exam, a Central government initiative for meritorious class VIII students. NMMS toppers are entitled to a stipend of Rs.12,000 per year in classes IX-XII.
Similarly, Singh, an elementary teacher at GPS, Bathinda, went the extra mile and led a successful campaign to boost student enrolment to prevent the school from shutting down for shortage of students. In 2015, GPS, Bathinda had an aggregate enrolment of 33 children. A postgrad in Punjabi and English of Punjabi University, Patiala, Singh ideated and spearheaded a door-to-door campaign across 16 neighbouring villages to boost GPS, Bathinda’s enrolment to 240 currently.
Rajinder Singh
Direct talk. “In 2016, after teaching in an all-boys school for six years, I was transferred to GSSSG, Barnala. Soon, I observed that many parents were pulling their girl children out of school to do household chores or menial jobs to supplement their household incomes. Appalled by this waste of talent, I began to counsel parents to practice gender equality as mandated by the Constitution of India. Simultaneously to incentivise parents, I offered to coach girls to prepare them to win NMMS scholarships. It’s a matter of pride that thus far, 55 of our girl children have been awarded this scholarship. I hope my story will inspire other teachers to enable and empower girl children,” says Goyal.
Likewise, Singh believes that all children should have easy access to schools in their neighbourhood. “In 2015 when I was appointed teacher at GPS, Bathinda, all senior teachers had retired, and the student enrolment had fallen to 33. The local government was all set to shut down the school for lack of students. That’s when I started a campaign in 16 villages urging parents to send children to school. During school hours, I taught children, and after school, I took on the roles of mason, electrician, plumber, and painter to improve the school’s infrastructure to make the school attractive for children. It is very important that schools are student-friendly and welcoming institutions which children love to attend. I hope my success will inspire government, parents, and teachers to collaborate to make children’s schools attractive destinations,” he says.
Divya Sharma (Gurugram)
