Ranchi: Urging newly appointed assistant teachers to take responsibility for shaping the future of the state’s next generation, chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday said their induction was a major step towards strengthening govt schools.Speaking at the programme where he handed over appointment letters, Hemant said, “It is now up to the newly appointed assistant teachers to determine the future trajectory of the state’s intellectual landscape. State govt has entrusted you not merely with a job, but with the vital responsibility of shaping the future of the state’s next generation.”Of the 1,042 appointees, 274 intermediate-trained teachers will teach classes 1 to 5, while 768 graduate-trained teachers will be posted in classes 6 to 8. The upper primary appointments include 150 language teachers, 231 science and mathematics teachers, and 387 social science teachers.The CM also underlined the govt’s zero-tolerance position on children’s safety and welfare. “The govt is committed to supporting and empowering teachers with great sensitivity, but we will not hesitate to take strict legal action against inhumane treatment of children,” he said.Pointing to growing confidence in public education, Soren said the CM Schools of Excellence, launched in 2021, now receive more than 40,000 applications for just 10,000 seats.He added that more than 200 science teachers have received appointment letters to address recurring complaints about their shortage in govt institutions. “Now, our children will study science and go on to become engineers and doctors, advancing in every field. The govt is continuously striving to improve the academic quality of state-run schools,” he said.Sita Kumari, one of the appointees, said, “After a long struggle, I finally had the opportunity to participate in the recruitment process and got selected. I would perform my duties with utmost dedication, integrity and honesty, and would strive to provide quality education to the children.”The CM also launched the ‘continuous professional development’ training programme for teachers of classes 6 to 12 in line with the National Education Policy 2020. A similar programme for classes 1 to 5 was rolled out last year, with 1.10 lakh primary teachers participating.
