September 27, 2013
I know that the Teacher’s Day celebration is over. Then what makes me write on a teacher? This question has even troubled me. I being a teacher, how impartial will I be in writing? Wouldn’t I be partial in my views? Would I be able to write my mind sincerely?
I don’t have that fear since I am writing this article not for an occasion. Normally, every year, on September 5th, the day which is dedicated for teachers, we remember teachers and we don’t forget to wish them, write ‘good’ about them, send bouquets to them and if possible make speeches on their achievements. The day passes and it is all over. You wait for another year for the celebration. The rest of the days of the year the teacher and his/her honest work is never remembered.
The teacher, may teaching at the primary level, high school level or at the college level has a special responsibility entrusted upon her. Whether she likes it or not is a different issue altogether. The modern world demands from the teacher not just the bookish knowledge to be imparted to the students. He/she has a special responsibility of moulding the personality of the students under his/her care. Now we might raise our brow and grunt, ‘what’s great about it?’ You are right! What’s great about it? But no sooner we find a student uncivilised than ask from which institution is he and who are his teachers? Why do you ask this question if there isn’t anything great about the responsibility of the teacher of moulding the personality of a student? Howzzzzz that???
In every social gathering if the parents have time to discuss they discuss about education, the education system, the institutions, the teachers, the capitation fee etc. One of the frequently discussed questions is about the qualification and the capacity of the teachers. As all the fingers of the palm are not the same so the teachers, their capacity, their qualification also may not be the same. But still there will be an exception to poor teachers as we have poor students. Now here is a googly. Who are the teachers? They are from among us. Who becomes a teacher? This is a million dollar question.
In the olden days, as it was with the religious life, teacher’s profession too was a divine call. Everyone did not muster the courage to respond to that call. But now the things have come down to such a level that every Tom Dick and Harry is a teacher. Why so? Is it because teacher’s job is very lucrative? No. It is because “if you are no where you are at least here” attitude. The bright children of ours take up professional courses. There is a race for such courses. Everyone’s child should be a doctor or an engineer. No one is interested in pure science or humanities. A commerce student will start calculating the interest the moment he joins the course. Teacher’s profession is a big joke for them. Some mediocre or poor students, who cannot afford to think of these professional courses, and who cannot pursue the regular education get a correspondent degree and opt for teacher’s profession. Some do very well, some manage and some miserably fail. To become a teacher you require language and good communicative skills. Those who are good at it they get into the professional courses were their talent goes waste. Tell me now how can we get good teachers? Should we import them from Mars? Howzzz that????
UGC pays the teacher very well. State Government also pays good. But there are thousands of teachers whose jobs are not approved and are working for meagre salaries. Some of the teachers in some private institutions are paid so low that they find it difficult to manage their family. A daily wage earner earns twice, sometimes, thrice the more than what teacher earns. It is not that those schools which have employed them cannot pay a fair salary taken into consideration the capitation fee they receive from the students. But the attitude is “It’s our hard earned money”. One would work sincerely and effectively if he is paid well. If not we will have to bear with the poor teachers. Howzzz that???
We read in the media the misbehaviour of the teachers. It is not a general phenomenon. Teacher is not a class. He is an individual. As you don’t blame every father or a mother if one father or mother misbehaves so one can’t blame every teacher for the mistake one single teacher commits. Teacher is a human being. But it is not a justification for his misbehaviour. But generalising the mistake of one teacher and weighing every teacher on the same scale would lead to an aberration. Morally defeated teacher cannot function as an effective teacher. The teacher needs public support and not the sympathy. He needs public support because he is teaching our children and moulding their personality. So his dignity should be upheld and he/she should be respected not only on teacher’s day but every day should be a teacher’s day. Howzzzz that????
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