MOKOKCHUNG — A special basic course for scout masters and guide captains concluded on Thursday at the 173 CRPF Battalion Camp at New Reserve, Mokokchung. It had commenced on October 20.
On the evening of October 25, the course staff and participants organised a grand campfire programme, with Manoj Kumar, SP Mokokchung, serving as grand campfire chief.
In his address, Kumar expressed his hope that the participants had a fruitful time during the course and thanked the officials of Bharat Scout and Guide (BS&G) at the district and state levels for taking the initiative to train new scoutmasters and guide captains to strengthen the BS&G movement in the district.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]He opined that the BS&G movement has been a unique platform for all the youth and students of the country to develop leadership qualities and coordination skills and to be part and parcel of national integration.
He added that the movement provides a good opportunity for all participants to exchange ideas and demonstrate their talents and skills; additionally, it raises awareness among people, teachers, trainees, and students about discipleship, patriotism, and peaceful coexistence.
Noting that the scout and guide movement has gained momentum and pace over the years, he said that it now spans 216 countries, with more than five million volunteers in India, and asserted that the BS&G movement is a non-political and non-religious movement, which is basically to educate people and spread awareness for the youth and people of the country.
Saying that Mokokchung district has been the pioneer of the BS&G movement in the state and is going to celebrate its 75th platinum jubilee by 2025, he said the movement can only attain its truthfulness if they have a huge number of volunteers.
For this, he urged scout masters and guide captains who completed the course to return to their institutions and encourage youths and students to be a part of the movement, as well as enlist more volunteers in the district and the state.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]He further encouraged the BS&G officials to come up with more activities and mentioned that Mokokchung police can contribute to the movement by involving BS&G in traffic management and spreading awareness on road safety and traffic regulations, as well as in disaster management drills in collaboration with SDRF.
Although invitations were sent out and about 91 people registered, DEO Mokokchung Sentinenla bemoaned the fact that only 40 participants showed up to enrol in the course, which included students from private schools.
In this regard, she maintained that DEO and SDEO Mokokchung will take their own course of action for the remaining registered/listed names who did not attend the course.
She also expressed disappointment that schools in and around Mokokchung did not come forward to register, and that even teachers refused to come, whereas schools in far-flung areas had registered and were enthusiastic about the course.
She informed that the objective of organising the training was to increase the number of members since the district is the pioneer in the state and is going to celebrate the platinum jubilee by 2025.