Rajkishore Mangal – an educationist who contributed a lot

Oct 05, 2010 News

… On World Teachers’ Day

As another World Teachers’ Day is celebrated today the spotlight is on veteran educator in the Berbice area, Rajkishore Mangal, MS, who spent close to half a century in the teaching profession. He has retired.
Mr Mangal attended the Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) in 1954. After writing the final exams, he began his teaching career at the age of 18. He taught Geography and Mathematics. His starting salary was $70 per month, after which he received $120 per month, having completed the ‘A’- Level exams.
He is a holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography. Later, he read for a Post Graduate Diploma in Education, majoring in Educational Administration.

Rajkishore Mangal, MS

He was appointed Deputy Principal of his alma mater BEI in 1971 and later Headmaster in 1981, a position in which he remained until 1995.
He then formed the Berbice branch of the Teachers’ Training College (CPCE) for Secondary School teachers at Rose Hall Town on the Corentyne. He retired in 2007.
Asked to comment on the disappearance of men from the ranks of teachers, Mr Mangal said that the gender problem never existed in the old days.
He said that today, the student population at many schools comprises more females than males; hence, the females graduate and get better results than the boys for some reason.
He credited the disciplinary problems partially to the absence of men in the teaching system and in the home as well.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
While he used the whip as a headmaster, Mr Mangal has had a change of heart today concerning the use of corporal punishment.
“As I got more experienced, I was able to find more alternatives to deal with the problem situations and problem students,” he stated. Mr Mangal said that he remembered going in front of the entire school assembly at the end of the term and telling the students that he did not use the whip once during the past term.
That, according to him, was an accomplishment he always relished. He used alternative measures such as detention, sending for parents, sending home students who were told not to return without parents, etc.
He credited this “change of heart”, too, to Mr Michael Hackett, a known educational figure who opposes corporal punishment.
The educator stated that teachers have a very important role to play in the national development of Guyana.
“We teach children academic subjects; they get good jobs, by getting good jobs they contribute to national development. They get involved in the community life. They’re called upon by their community to serve in various capacities, which is contributing to national development,” he said.
He urged teachers to be “In Loco Parentis” (Latin for “In the place of a parent”). Mr Mangal stated that a teacher’s role is “more than just going into a classroom and blah-blahing”.
“The Teacher has got to be smart enough to realize when students behave in certain ways, that there might be certain problems.
He said that during his time, many students were disciplined for arriving late to school or for not offering an excuse for being absent, only realizing, after digging deeper into the matter and finding out the challenging home circumstances that some students face.
Mr Mangal said that in the 90’s, he felt the education system in Berbice needed qualified and trained secondary school teachers.
This motivated him to bring the idea to set up a branch of CPCE in the region that would train secondary teachers. He said that he felt very happy to train them so that the schools and community would benefit.
He recalled the numerous challenges and difficulties he faced—even opposition—as he sought to set up a training facility for secondary teachers at the J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School.
After he repeatedly refused, he willingly accepted the task to be the Head of Centre of the CPCE Corentyne Branch. Mr Mangal, as many secondary school teachers would remember, was a true disciplinarian.

HOPES FOR OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM
“Improvement in remuneration and conditions of work are needed,” he said. “You are going to get more from teachers if you give them more.”
“The remuneration might not compare favourably with other jobs, but teaching has its own satisfaction which you don’t get from other jobs, he boldly stated.”
Mr Mangal said, “The kind of satisfaction you get, money cannot give; and so many people continue because of this”.
He also recommended better supervision of teachers by education officers and the Department of Education. The outstanding son of the soil would also like parents to pay more attention to the education of their children.
“Parents are very important.”
Mr Mangal said that as a headmaster, he tried it all to get parents to come out to PTA meetings. He tried smaller group meetings.
“You have to devise ways to get parents to come out to PTA meetings. I also allowed students to sit with their parents”.
Mr Mangal said that he believes teachers can work until they attain 60 years of age. He said that he knows that teachers can both physically and mentally go for another five years. He contributed 13 years of extra service.
Today, Mr Mangal lives with his wife, a retired New Amsterdam Hospital matron, his son and wife and his grandson.
He is able to keep close contact with ex-students, associates in education, family and friends through Facebook.
For his sterling contribution to the field of education, President Bharrat Jagdeo conferred the Medal of Service on Mr Mangal in May 2002 at the National Cultural Centre.
He also received other awards from the Department of Education in Berbice, BEI Old Students’ Association, Rotary Club, and the Guyana Teachers’ Union.
(Leon Suseran)