After four decades of service in the education sector, Tame Yaku, the headmistress of Government Secondary School, G-Sector, Naharlagun, has been selected as Arunachal Pradesh’s lone recipient of this year’s National Teachers’ Award.
For Yaku, the recognition marks an important moment in a teaching career that began on November 30, 1985. Over the years, she has worked in schools across different parts of Arunachal Pradesh, including remote and challenging areas, while focusing not only on classroom teaching but also on girls’ education, adult literacy, school administration and the preservation of indigenous cultural identity.
Yaku began her career as an Assistant Teacher under the Primary Trained Teacher category. Her first posting was at LP School in Pachin Village, Naharlagun, where she was the only teacher at the school.
As the sole teacher, she had to teach all subjects and manage the responsibilities of the school on her own. The experience marked the beginning of a long career that later took her to several other parts of the state.
In 1990, Yaku served at Government Secondary School, Nyapin, in Kurung Kumey district, which was then part of Lower Subansiri district. In 1995, she served at Government Primary School in Yanman Village and other schools in Changlang district.
With academic qualifications including a master’s degree in Rural Development and Sociology, Yaku gradually developed an approach to education that went beyond regular classroom instruction.
Throughout her career, she placed particular emphasis on encouraging girls to attend school. She visited villages and went door-to-door to speak with families, including daily-wage workers and economically disadvantaged households, and encouraged them to send their daughters to school.
Her work also included efforts to promote adult literacy. Yaku taught women and other adults who had not received formal education, believing that access to learning could help improve lives and strengthen communities.
“I am humbled and happy to have received the National Teachers’ Award,” Yaku said after being selected for the honour.
Her approach to education, she has maintained, is based on the belief that teaching is not limited to the transfer of knowledge. She sees education as a means of improving lives, supporting vulnerable sections of society, preserving cultural identity and helping children grow into responsible and compassionate citizens.
After taking charge as the headmistress of Government Secondary School, G-Sector, Naharlagun, Yaku also focused on improving the school’s academic and administrative systems.
She worked to improve the quality and regularity of the Mid-Day Meal programme and introduced a more accountable system of school management. Responsibilities were clearly delegated, while attendance and academic performance were monitored systematically so that students requiring support could be identified at an early stage.
Apart from academic and administrative work, Yaku has also contributed to efforts aimed at preserving and promoting Arunachal Pradesh’s indigenous cultural identity among students.
In 2013, she conceptualised an initiative under which students were encouraged to wear traditional attire to school every Wednesday and Saturday. The practice was introduced to help children develop pride in their indigenous culture and identity from an early age.
Another significant moment in her career came when she led a contingent of 150 students selected to represent Arunachal Pradesh at the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi.
The students performed the Rikham Pada dance, showcasing the state’s cultural traditions before a national audience. The performance became a memorable experience for the participating students and a moment of pride for their families and the wider community.
Now, after 40 years in the teaching profession, Yaku’s selection for the National Teachers’ Award has brought national recognition to a career shaped by work in classrooms, villages and schools across Arunachal Pradesh.
