Tripura expands pre-primary education push with 450 new sections

Tripura’s Education Department has expanded access to early childhood education by introducing pre-primary sections in 450 government schools this academic year, with officials linking foundational learning directly to the state’s long-term education goals.

The announcement was made during the concluding session of a five-day teacher training workshop organised by the Directorate of Elementary Education in West Tripura district. The programme, which began on May 12, trained 100 teachers from 94 newly opened government pre-primary schools established for the 2026-27 academic session.

Addressing the teachers, Education Secretary Milind Dharmarao Ramteke said the age group between three and six years remains the most critical stage of learning and development, noting that a child’s brain development is “nearly complete” by the age of six.

Referring to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, he said pre-primary education has now become a key component of foundational learning across the country. He urged teachers to focus on building trust with children, saying effective learning becomes possible only when students feel secure and connected in classrooms.

Ramteke also said the success of the Education Department’s new initiatives would depend largely on the “commitment, sincerity, and responsibility” shown by teachers. He added that the vision of a developed India could not be achieved without strong foundational education.

The workshop focused on play-based teaching methods aimed at improving foundational literacy and numeracy among young learners. Teachers were trained in classroom engagement techniques and the use of low-cost teaching-learning materials.

A special exhibition featuring handmade puppets, classroom aids, and other learning materials prepared by participating teachers was organised during the closing ceremony.

Joint Director of the Directorate of Elementary Education Harshita Biswas said enrolment in government pre-primary schools had risen by nearly 24 to 25 per cent this year compared to last year, indicating growing public confidence in the system.

She said similar training programmes would soon be conducted in phases across all districts of Tripura to strengthen classroom delivery at the foundational level.

OSD Abhijit Samajpati said the newly introduced pre-primary sections were aimed at ensuring access to early childhood education for children from all socio-economic backgrounds. He added that teachers had also been provided with lesson plans, handbooks and workbooks for classroom use.

The training programme was conducted by six master trainers and six mentor trainers specialising in pre-primary education. Certificates were distributed to participating teachers during the concluding session.