BEST TEACHER AWARD The Govt Of Goa suggests Teachers for the State wards and National awards The importance of these awards lies in its limited number. Naturally many a deserving teacher is left out of the purview of this awards The scheme and conditions are very noble, but somewhere down the line the reasons get diluted. Not many apply for it ,as it is not considered an honour among the circle of teachers It adds two more years to date of retirement. This is really considered advantage The sum bestowed has slightly improved over the years It is an open secret that recommendations and political influence weighs more than the achievements The quota and reservation is based on Religion, primary, secondary, higher secondary ,principal and headmaster. Vocational Institutions were outside its ambit. Religious criteria is predominant basis to satisfy vote bank politics Sometimes teachers are approached to submit the applications Two Headmaster at the meeting of GHA public stated that they did not know why theywere granted and had nothing convincing to say on their selection One teacher was helped by ADEI to formulate the application and another did not know how to go about it information was requested on reasons of selection ,confidentiality clause was invoked. The request to publish a booklet on the achievement and merits of selected teachers has never been actively pursued, though promised These experiences would be an inspiration to others The merits of selected Teachers must find detailed resumes, but as seen they are rarely not even mentioned in print There are instances of teachers who received this honour and who were most negligent in their routine work and whose teaching ,corrections, paper setting were done by subordinates, unable to stand up.
It may appear that some are naturally adopting the principle of sour Grapes and that every single awardees is worthless in this pursuit. The ranks at the SSCE have been abolished as they are creating tensions and frustrations,. Does this not apply to so called Best teacher awards ? Has the best Teacher award outlived its utility in not creating controversies and resentment ? Why the services of so called talented teachers recognized with awards not used to promote quality education and be frontline leaders in Educational field? The nomenclature of BEST TEACHER be substituted by TEACHER AWARD The GOvt new proposals for recognition in every school is being objected The students are not judges to evaluate the worth of the teacher , so it seems. But they are the best judges by any standards. * The annual evaluation of the teacher by the students is a normal practice in some establishment, besides others Teachers dread the evaluation by the visiting Inspectors of Education and are not very happy about being evaluated by their own Heads, though this is mandatory This scheme would be a moral booster to those ,who will never be considered during their career. Would the teachers approve of evaluation by their own colleagues ? we fail to realize that some are better than us in many ways and a fair selection is what could be suggested. Those who exert without any claims on rewards have to be distinguished for a little appreciation, rather than paid the same emoluments .Special achievements must find expression in special recognition Do we throw out the baby with the bath water? Dog in the manger attitude needs to be avoided with suggestions and accept the scheme of the Govt with medications to encompass more teachers* *Nelson Lopes Chinchinim*
