Choki Wangmo | Tsirang

Coinciding with the 66th anniversary of His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Dagapela Middle Secondary School inaugurated its research development centre and launched its first research seminar, themed “Action Research: An Approach to Effective Teaching and Learning” on November 11.

The seminar is expected to be an annual event henceforth and will bring together selected reports and thesis papers relevant to educational practices. It offers researchers a platform to share findings of action research through presentation and publication proceedings.

The findings of three research papers were presented at the inaugural session.

Principal Ugyen Penjor said that with the research centre established within the school, it will not only promote active engagement in research by teachers and schools to strengthen reflective and evidence-based teaching-learning practices, but also build a research culture and a network of action research enthusiasts across schools in the dzongkhag.

“Modern teaching-learning extends beyond textbooks and exams. It provides a new way for knowledge acquisition and options for bettering life by using tools of inquiry and investigation,” he said.

The initiative, which started in 2019 but has remained non-functional to date, is in line with the Ministry of Education’s reforms. “Exploration and knowledge updates by teachers for the learner-centred practices must be timely, and change as required in the school.”

He said that as mandated in the Ministry of Education’s Bhutan Standard for Teachers (BPST), instituting a strong research culture through the development of research centres and carrying out research in schools have become indispensable.

“Investing in research has become extremely important, as it has a competitive advantage over other areas of investment in changing times,” he added.

Edited by Tshering Palden