4th Aug 2021 11:08:PM State
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

Litem Eshi Ori

PASIGHAT, Aug 4: It has always been perceived that bringing radical changes in the school education scenario in Arunachal Pradesh is a monumental task. However, there are individuals who love to take the challenge and with unparalleled commitment manage to turn the tide despite multiple limitations. Such personalities are rare and Jongge Yirang (56), the former Deputy Director of School Education (DDSE) of East Siang district is one of them.
With the sole endeavour to make East Siang a better education hub, Yirang took charge of the important post on August 17, 2016 and within four and a half years has been able to bring solid changes in the district’s school education landscape. East Siang stood third in the state in literacy rate as per 2011 census and the challenges were thus steep. Beating all odds through various innovative measures the DDSE had been able to bring transformational changes for which he is now revered by the district’s people. Yirang believes in the USP of winning teachers’ confidence through doses of motivation rather than issuing orders and commands. With this approach, he won the confidence and respect from all categories of staff, including officers and common people of East Siang.
The early days as the DDSE was tough since the task ahead meant bringing fast rectifications to the dilapidated condition of several school buildings. A believer in alternative ways of thinking, Yirang opted for fund-sourcing from well-wishers, alumni etc. instead of relying on government assistance, resulting in renovation of as many as six schools namely Government Upper Primary Schools in Ngopok, Silluk, Ayeng, Borguli, Mirem and Government Secondary School, Balek. Addition of classrooms and painting and construction of walls were done and to grow interest in sports among students, he introduced the subject in UPS level which was sponsored by the local MLAs through MLA LAD fund. It needs mentioning that he personally approached the MLAs to convince them. The concept of learning-by-doing which is regarded as an effective tool to impart life skills and understanding of the environment was also introduced in these schools with the help of teachers and students and the kitchen gardens are now saturated with leafy vegetables. The DDSE also gave a new dimension to the Teachers’ Day celebrations by inviting the retired officers and state awardee teachers as Chief Guests and Class X toppers of the district as Guests of Honour. To encourage the teachers, mementos were given to the outstanding performers and awards in the categories of Best School of the district, Best Teacher and other Block-wise awards were initiated. These awards were the basis for recommendation for state awards and CM’s Best Teachers award. A unique contribution of Yirang was the construction of the centralized kitchen shed (MDM) through decentralized district innovation fund wherein 21 clusters schools were covered. Conduct of annual examinations of Classes III, IV, VI & VII under respective principal clusters with question papers, report cards and answer scripts centrally sponsored by the district office was a unique and first-of-its-kind endeavour in the district. When the day to day functioning of the new DDSE office building in the southern part of Pasighat township proved difficult due to non-availability of electricity, the DDSE approached the MLAs and department of Power leading to the much-need electrification.

“Limited funds and time will never be an excuse if you earn the trust of people and take them with you on the path to development. Our villages lack basic facilities, its children still depend on government schools because they cannot afford private schools. It is only when we empower them with good infrastructure that a young boy/girl in a remote village will dream of joining the civil services. We have to change the archaic ways and build a people-friendly administration,” Yirang said while talking to this reporter.


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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