Second batch of teachers joins the Desuung, now 709 strong

This year, for a second time, teachers, 125 in numbers at that, from all the Dzongkhags are being trained in the military training center in Wangduephodrang as Desuups.

Compared to last year, the number of teachers who got trained as a Desuups has increased from 119 to 125 teachers this year.

This is the sixth batch of the Desuups who are being trained and the second time for the teachers. There are 83 male teachers and 42 female teachers this year.

The teachers are being trained for two weeks, and the trainings started on the 21st of this month. The group will complete their training on 2 February.

The director of the Desuung program Tashi Tobgay said “The teachers who are from different Dzongkhags are very interested to join this kind of program being held in the country. But the problem is we could take only 125 teachers for the training as we have only limited capacity to take this number of teachers”.

The difference in training for regular Desuups and teachers is in the number of days for which they are trained. For the teachers they get trained for only two weeks during the winter vacations as they have limited holidays, whereas the regular Desuups, get trained for 35 days in the field.

The trainings will revolve on the same drills and training routines the  previous trainees were taught. The exercises mainly focused on disaster management, panel sessions, shooting, river rafting, culture and tradition and team building. There are also  sessions where guest lecturers from different organizations which are related to the disaster management like the Road safety and transport authority (RSTA) division and forestry departments come and interact with the Desuups.

Some of the teachers who are undergoing the training talked to The Bhutanese. A Primary School teacher, Namgay, said, “right now I am really enjoying the training the government is providing to the teachers, as this kind of training is really helping us. We can learn much more about time management”.

A principal of Langmoding Primary School under Trashiyangtse dzongkhag, Tashi Lhendup, said “The training is proving to be a wonderful experience for all of us. In the future we can help whenever any disaster occurs, because up till now we were restricted to the busy schooling schedule, but now after this training I think I will be able to help the society”.

Deki Yangzom, a teacher from Wangchuk Middle Secondary School (MSS) under Chhukha dzongkhag said, “The training is very helpful for all of us .After coming here I came to learn so much about weapons and firing, rafting  and many others and in the future I can help with the society if any disaster occurs”.

The same opportunity will be given to the interested teachers of all the Dzongkhags in the coming years.

Sonam Wangmo / Thimphu