Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct. 23: A one-day orientation and field-based evaluation programme on the Tobacco Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) School Challenge 2025 was organized under the Science Wing of Directorate of Education, Shiksha Sadan, Sri Vijaya Puram. In the inaugural session, Shri Ram Pravesh, Deputy Director of Education (Science), underscored the importance of the Tobacco Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) Campaign, emphasizing the shared responsibility of teachers, health professionals, law enforcement authorities, social welfare officials, and community members in protecting minors and youth from the detrimental effects of tobacco use.
Resource Persons for the programme were Dr. Satyajit Halder, State Nodal Officer, National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), Directorate of Health Services; Shri. A.K. Biswas, Probation Officer, Directorate of Social Welfare; Shri. Manoj Lal, Sub-Inspector, Anti-Narcotics Unit, Andaman & Nicobar Police; and Shri. K.V. Sreerag, Consultant, NTCP.
Participants from all three Districts, along with four resource persons each from South Andaman and Wimberlygunj Zones, actively took part in the programme. As part of the field activity, participants visited Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Middle Point, where two participant groups conducted a self-evaluation scorecard exercise based on ToFEI guidelines to assess the school’s progress toward becoming tobacco-free.
