Neerja Birla (second right), Founder and Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust; lighting a traditional lamp at the opening of a Educational Conclave organised by the Birla Public School, Doha (BPS), at the school premises on Thursday. P Kumaran (third
Doha: Birla Public School recently organised a conclave for educators to discuss current technological and pedagogical trends in the education sector at its main campus.
Neerja Birla, Founder & Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, while addressing a gathering of over 100 educators from numerous schools in Doha, said: “I truly believe that teachers are a special tribe, blessed with the great power and responsibilities to not only shape the mind but also to ignite the spirit. Good teachers influence education of their students. Great teachers influence the future of generations to come.”
Neerja Birla is also the Chairperson of the Aditya Birla World Academy, The Aditya Birla Integrated School, Aditya Birla Education Academy and Mpower. Neerja Birla was in Qatar for the first time to inaugurate a pioneering conclave title ‘Lead the Way’ for educators organised by Birla Public School on February 14 in the Basant Kumar Birla auditorium at the main campus.
The conclave was a wholesome platform for all important stakeholders in education to discuss current technological and pedagogical trends in the education sector. Delivering the welcome address, Lukose Chacko, Chairman, Birla Public School, remarked that the Birla legacy of education is exemplified in the comprehensive and ingenious ventures of the Aditya Birla Education Academy.
R K Dalmia, President, Century Textiles and Industrial Limited, Mumbai; and Senior Governing Council Members of Birla Public School, P Kumaran, Ambassador of India to Qatar, also addressed the assembly, delineating new principles and ideologies in modern teaching. Gope Shahani, Vice-Chairman; Directors Dr. Mohan Thomas and C V Rappai and Maria Pakalomattom also graced the occasion during the event. Principals from different schools and colleges were the distinguished panelists of the discussion on ‘Technology and the teacher’.
The moderator, A P Sharma, Principal of Birla Public School, led the team of sagacious panelists. Dr. Ravinder Mamtani, Professor of Medicine (Centre for Global Health) and Senior Associate Dean for Population Health and Capacity Building, at Weill Cornell Medicine; Dr. Alexander S Acosta, Principal of Philippine School Doha; Manjari Recriwal, Principal of Pearl School, Doha; Dr. Subhash B Nair, Principal of Shantiniketan Indian School, Doha; and Ankur Gopal Miglani, Governor, The Board of Governors, Doha College, were the learned panelists who enlightened the educators present and concluded that teachers cannot be replaced by technology but they need to use technology to stimulate their students.
The final session of the evening’s program began with a presentation on Aditya Birla Education Academy, showcasing its unique programs like an integration of teaching modes for handicapped children, paving the path of smooth and harmonious combination of humane values with new-gen pedagogy.
This session also witnessed a fascinating group discussion on, ‘Skill or concept, what is more important in a child’s educational journey’ The panelists and the audience of educators engaged in a robust debate between skills and concepts and revolutionised the thought process of the listeners by bringing forth new ideas in line with the needs of modern students.
