Press Release
Press Release from The District Institute of Education and Training, Gangtok
Information & Public Relations Department
Gangtok Launches “Kuzu Phonics” Through Three-Day Capacity Building Workshop on Phonological Awareness and Phonics
Gangtok, 24th June 2026: The District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Gangtok successfully conducted a three-day Capacity Building Workshop on Phonological Awareness and Phonics under its flagship foundational literacy initiative, “Kuzu Phonics,” for teachers from 10 pilot schools, along with the Key Resource Persons (KRPs) from DIETs of Gangtok, Namchi, and Gyalshing.
The workshop was facilitated by Ms. Rima Kaur, Faculty at Azim Premji University, Bangalore, and Ms. Durga Shrestha, Senior Lecturer in English, DIET Gangtok.
The Kuzu Phonics programme aims to strengthen teachers’ understanding of foundational literacy skills, with a special focus on the systematic introduction of phonological awareness and phonics in early grade classrooms. The initiative forms part of DIET Gangtok’s commitment towards strengthening Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) under the vision of the NIPUN Bharat Mission and the goals of NEP 2020.
During the inaugural session, the Principal of DIET Gangtok highlighted the background and significance of Kuzu Phonics, following the State-Level Education Conference chaired by the Hon’ble Chief Minister and other dignitaries. The Principal emphasised the urgent need to improve foundational reading skills through structured phonics instruction and joyful classroom engagement.
Madam Chimi Donka Bhutia, Chief Education Officer (CEO), Gangtok, urged the participating schools and teachers to take the initiative seriously, as Kuzu Phonics marks the first pilot intervention on phonics undertaken collaboratively by DIET Gangtok and the CEO’s office.
Dr. Sandeep Tambe, IFS, Principal Secretary, in his address emphasised the importance of strengthening English speaking skills and meeting the expectations of parents, which would ultimately contribute towards improving enrolment in government schools. He appreciated the initiative of DIET Gangtok in launching Kuzu Phonics as a pilot intervention to strengthen foundational literacy. Further, he lauded the collaborative effort of DIET Gangtok, Namchi and Gyalshing in taking forward this innovative program.
Over the course of three days, participants were engaged in intensive sessions covering key areas such as sound recognition, blending, segmenting, rhyming, letter-sound correspondence, and effective classroom strategies under the Kuzu Phonics framework. The workshop included interactive demonstrations, group activities and planning exercises to equip teachers with practical approaches for classroom implementation.
The workshop also served as an important platform for KRPs and teachers to deliberate on contextualising Kuzu Phonics for Sikkim’s multilingual classroom settings. Following the training, the participating pilot schools will begin implementing Kuzu Phonics in Grade I classrooms, with continuous mentoring and academic support from DIETs with BRCs and CRCs.
Gangtok, 24th June 2026: The District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Gangtok successfully conducted a three-day Capacity Building Workshop on Phonological Awareness and Phonics under its flagship foundational literacy initiative, “Kuzu Phonics,” for teachers from 10 pilot schools, along with the Key Resource Persons (KRPs) from DIETs of Gangtok, Namchi, and Gyalshing.
The workshop was facilitated by Ms. Rima Kaur, Faculty at Azim Premji University, Bangalore, and Ms. Durga Shrestha, Senior Lecturer in English, DIET Gangtok.
The Kuzu Phonics programme aims to strengthen teachers’ understanding of foundational literacy skills, with a special focus on the systematic introduction of phonological awareness and phonics in early grade classrooms. The initiative forms part of DIET Gangtok’s commitment towards strengthening Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) under the vision of the NIPUN Bharat Mission and the goals of NEP 2020.
During the inaugural session, the Principal of DIET Gangtok highlighted the background and significance of Kuzu Phonics, following the State-Level Education Conference chaired by the Hon’ble Chief Minister and other dignitaries. The Principal emphasised the urgent need to improve foundational reading skills through structured phonics instruction and joyful classroom engagement.
Madam Chimi Donka Bhutia, Chief Education Officer (CEO), Gangtok, urged the participating schools and teachers to take the initiative seriously, as Kuzu Phonics marks the first pilot intervention on phonics undertaken collaboratively by DIET Gangtok and the CEO’s office.
Dr. Sandeep Tambe, IFS, Principal Secretary, in his address emphasised the importance of strengthening English speaking skills and meeting the expectations of parents, which would ultimately contribute towards improving enrolment in government schools. He appreciated the initiative of DIET Gangtok in launching Kuzu Phonics as a pilot intervention to strengthen foundational literacy. Further, he lauded the collaborative effort of DIET Gangtok, Namchi and Gyalshing in taking forward this innovative program.
Over the course of three days, participants were engaged in intensive sessions covering key areas such as sound recognition, blending, segmenting, rhyming, letter-sound correspondence, and effective classroom strategies under the Kuzu Phonics framework. The workshop included interactive demonstrations, group activities and planning exercises to equip teachers with practical approaches for classroom implementation.
The workshop also served as an important platform for KRPs and teachers to deliberate on contextualising Kuzu Phonics for Sikkim’s multilingual classroom settings. Following the training, the participating pilot schools will begin implementing Kuzu Phonics in Grade I classrooms, with continuous mentoring and academic support from DIETs with BRCs and CRCs.
