National ICT Award 2022: MoS for Education Annpurna Devi confers awards to 49 teachers

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Education Annpurna Devi today presented the National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Awards 2022 to 49 teachers across the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Annpurna Devi said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes on the extensive use of technology in teaching and learning processes, removing language barriers, increasing access for DIVYANG students along with educational planning and management.

She congratulated all the teachers being awarded today for their efforts and innovation in the field of education and promoting the outreach of technology in their schools even during the COVID pandemic situation.

Also read | Visva-Bharati students hold protest for reopening hostels, force suspension of classes

The education ministry said, “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.”

“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 develop entrepreneurial skills among the students in order to develop a skilled workforce,” the ministry said.

She informed that the 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.

Hon'ble MoS, Education @Annapurna4BJP presented award to Dr. Yogendra Kumar Kothari , Govt. Excellence Higher Secondary School, Madhavnagar, Madhya Pradesh at National ICT awards .
Watch Live - https://t.co/PPhT95GgsN https://t.co/FUYJJJGy73 #NantionalICTAward pic.twitter.com/DBBFBRUdSO

— NCERT (@ncert) February 28, 2022

She further highlighted that the flagship projects to bridge the digital divide including 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 programme through online mode.

Also read | ‘Digital University will not lead to job losses for teachers’: UGC Chairman

“These initiatives help in enhancing the access and outreach of technology irrespective of any social, political, economic or geographic barriers,” she added.

"NCERT adopts a rigorous process in inviting online applications, online self-nominations by prospective candidates, receiving nominations from state/UT/Organizations level authorities, organization of National level jury meeting for final selection through jury, which is being done in a transparent manner," the ministry said.

It has now been envisaged to extend the National ICT award to the teacher educators (School Complexes, CRCs, BRCs, BIETs, DIETs, CTEs/IASEs, SCERTs/SIEs, SIETs, SIEMAT etc. and for the States and UTs for their best practices, it added.