Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 20 September 2024
A one-day training program on PAHAL Plus (Plan for Attaining Holistic Learning & Achieving Learning Outcomes), a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the learning outcomes of students, was conducted for the teachers of South Andaman and Wimberlygunj Zone on September 19, 2024. The event took place at the Auditorium of Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS) Girls, Port Blair, and was organised by the State Institute of Education (SIE), Shiksha Sadan.
The training was inaugurated by Mr. Aditya Kumar Jha, Director of Education, who graced the event as the chief guest. In his address, Mr. Jha emphasized the critical role of teacher training in ensuring that educators stay updated with the latest teaching strategies. He highlighted the importance of improving the quality of education and focusing on achieving measurable learning outcomes, urging teachers to put in their best efforts to uplift the standard of education in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
“PAHAL Plus provides a platform for teachers to assess their students’ learning outcomes and helps them plan strategies to address any gaps. The program, which leverages smart digital technology, is student-centric and aims to improve the overall learning experience in government schools,” said Mr. Jha during his speech.
Ms. Sangeeta Chand, Principal of the State Institute of Education, delivered the welcome address. She elaborated on the PAHAL Plus initiative, describing it as a tool to monitor students’ progress and guide teachers in implementing remedial measures. To bridge the learning gap, we have aligned the learning outcomes with textbooks, developed a content-specific question bank, introduced a mentor-mentee system, and created a remedial teaching module to support effective remedial instruction, she added.
Throughout the training, resource persons from the SIE covered key topics, including an introduction to the PAHAL Plus initiative, details of the PAHAL Plus portal, and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for data handling. They also discussed how learning outcomes are integrated with PAHAL Plus, the structure of question papers, the role of subject teachers in remedial measures, and how assessments are monitored.
A total of 267 teachers, including heads of institutions from the South Andaman and Wimberlygunj zones, participated in the program. The interactive session also featured a question-and-answer segment, where teachers had the opportunity to clarify their doubts and share feedback about the training.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. Johnson P. John, marking the end of a successful day of professional development aimed at enhancing the quality of education in the islands.