New Delhi, September 4
Addressing award-winning teachers here today, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said he was pained to hear the death of a professor in Ujjain last week at the hands of “unruly students”.
“I was deeply pained when I heard of the death of a teacher last week in Ujjain at the hands of unruly students. I am also pained by incidents of disrespectful behaviour by students and some anti-social elements who pretend to be students,” he said.
The Prime Minister, who at the beginning of his address, said he was delighted to be among teachers, having been one himself, told the awardees: “In fact, I still see myself as a teacher of sorts. I have strayed into politics by accident, but I had become a teacher by choice.”
Referring to the shameful incident that led to the death of the professor, he said: “I urge every parent in our country to teach their children the value of the idea of Acharya Devo Bhava. This year, on Teachers Day, I want every child, every student, every parent, every citizen to chant those ancient words of wisdom and pledge that we will never show disrespect to our teachers.”
Dr Manmohan Singh also urged the teaching community to uphold the best traditions of excellence and commitment to knowledge and take a pledge to impart knowledge to their students without fear or favour, committed to the best and highest traditions of learning.
“India needs good, hard-working, honest teachers, and caring teachers. In turn, we must show respect to our teachers, take good care of them, offer them a status that recognises their great contribution to society and to the processes of nation building,” he said.
The Prime Minister also outlined his government’s commitment to education.
“Interventions need to be designed to address the problems of poor students’ achievement and poor classroom transaction. There is an urgent need to initiate
reforms in curricula, the examination system and the development of textbooks in the states at all levels of school education. There is a special focus on girls’ education under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. We are also placing great emphasis on education of SC/ST communities and all minority groups.”
Referring to education as a major instrument for economic and social mobility, he said: “It is also important that we prevent alienation of our youth belonging to the disadvantaged groups.”
Asking teachers to lead through their own example, the Prime Minister on a nostalgic note said: “I recall with gratitude my own days in a village primary school and what I learnt in those four years in primary school has played a very important role in shaping my outlook to problems in life. Those were the days when teachers had taught not only to work together in the classroom, but also at their home. I was the beneficiary of the affection of the family of my teacher where I went day after day in the evening sometimes to fetch water for the teacher’s family from the village well and that sense of communication I never forget. It has been a very formative influence in my life and I remain grateful to my teachers forever for that.”
