Photo Courtesy: nenow
Shillong: Sixty-five master trainers wrapped up a six-day intensive course in Shillong on August 8. The program, hosted at the Meghalaya Teacher Training Academy in Malki, marked the second year of the MPOWER initiative. Participants hailed from seven districts: East Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi, East Jaintia Hills, South West Khasi Hills, West Garo Hills, East Garo Hills, and North Garo Hills.
These trainers will now head home to lead the next phase of the program. They are tasked with training 1,729 teachers from government and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan schools. The curriculum covers four key areas: mental health, life skills, financial literacy, and sexual and reproductive health. Sessions included classroom simulations, mock facilitation, and peer-learning exercises.
Technical training came from the Magic Bus India Foundation and WorldBeing India. The academy provided the institutional backing. DERT Director J.U. Kharpuri opened the event with an address on the necessity of boosting teacher capacity to improve local education.
David M. Nongrum, an Associate Professor at DERT and Additional Director of the academy, highlighted the objective of the training. He noted, "By equipping our Master Trainers with practical facilitation skills and a deeper understanding of Life Skills, Mental Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Financial Literacy Education, we are laying the foundation for more inclusive and learner-centred classrooms."
The final day featured a post-training assessment and the design of specific district roll-out plans. Caraline Y. Kharmalki, the Nodal Officer for MPOWER, said the trainers showed strong commitment. She hopes the program helps teachers create "a safe, supportive, inclusive and engaging learning environment" for all students.
Updated at 9th August 2026 at 9:46pm
The training sessions took place specifically between August 3 and August 8. The curriculum focused on helping teachers handle adolescent development issues, such as emotional well-being, healthy relationships, and responsible decision-making.
DERT Director J.U. Kharpuri holds the rank of MCS. Caraline Y. Kharmalki serves as an Assistant Professor at DERT in addition to her role as the MPOWER Nodal Officer.
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