Role Of Teachers In Its Varied Perceptions
By Dr KP Guite
Today, on the 5th Sept another turn of Teachers' Day has come. The 5th Sept is the birthday of the second President of India, Dr Sarvapali Radhakrishnan, one of the greatest teachers of the world who was born on the soil of India in 1888 in Tamil Nadu. In commemoration of his unexcelled contribution towards education field in the country, his birthday, the 5th September has been named as the National Teachers' Day since his death in 1975 and has been observed with great solemnities by issuing teachers' day badges at nation-wide level. It would be a most appropriate and befitting manner of observation of this 31st turn of Teachers' Day to remain being reminded of the role of teachers in its varied perceptions in the present context of our society. Before getting on to the varied perceptions of the Role of Teachers, let us highlight how far essential the role of teachers in the human society. Man, at birth without guidance, is not more than an animal. This fact is all the more correct in the context of our society. Our human society is more and more complex day after day. If a child is left without any schooling or teaching, can be become a man? The answer is definitely a big No. Even though he may grow up as big as human size, we can presume, he would not be able to do any kind of teaching. It was in 1921, a child of 9 years old was discovered from the cave of jackals. He was a human being by species, but already became entirely animal like, did walking on fours, eating like jackals do, and having no language. Without learning computer, several parents have become outdated and handicapped. Without the involvement of the hand of any teacher, if there is any person living today, he/she would not be able to travel to Kolkata. Hence we can easily get the point that teachers and their role is so important and essential, yet there is a big 'But' which every one of us should rethink that teachers are the second gods and goddesses. 'But' today due close of respect is not given to them. There is a very big question, which I wish one can give an appropriate answer. Now, let us come to the four perceptions as I personally observed during the past three decades, as below: 1. The Governmental perception of the role of teacher: It is a fact known by every one that education is patronized by the Government, and schools, colleges and universities were/are established and the tasks of teaching have been done in an enormous way. Budget allocation is done, teachers are appointed, but the due dose of attention is never given to the teachers' welfare even today. The President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, knowing fully well, referred to the need of education for building the nation, and said if we want to build a strong nation, we have to pay attention to bringing up the new generation to be fit to meet the challenges to come. For the matter, the National level and the State level authorities should have the right perception about the need of improvement upon their perceptions of the role of teachers and its implications attached to it. In fact, the role of teachers is so highly essential but due attention is never paid by the authorities at any stage in the history, that is the blunder committed by any one in authority of the affairs. The role of teachers should be valued in the true perspective and the values of teachers should not be measured by the performance of one or two worst teachers and where there is any defect in the system governing the role of teachers, that should be corrected and modified in time and simply devaluing or neglecting the teacher will serve only as a device of derogating society. 2. The role perception of the teachers themselves: The profession of teaching is more than a Government job. It is the duty of life long; once one enters into the service his duty is to fight any ignorance, any backwardness and poverty throughout his life. His duty is to bring about anything coming under the term goodness. It is often said police service is 24 hours service, but the service of teacher is life long. The service of teacher demands that the teacher ought to be good and fit morally, psychologically and mentally. The moral obligation attached to the service should be remembered by the incumbent and any incumbent violating this code disciplinary action should remained themselves on this Teachers' Day that then duty of teachers is not confined to school hours but to the whole life. 3. The general public perception of the role of teacher: There is a wrong perception of the role of teachers that the service of teacher is considered as one of the Government jobs. Actually, the society, the community and the family do entrusting the preparation work of the next generation to the hands of the teachers. The what he/she is to be of your son/daughter is in the hands of teachers. In the modern complex society, several parents could no longer give advice and supervise their sons and daughters. Hence the responsibility of bringing up children is shifted to the teachers. But the teachers remain neglected and the regards due to them are not given. The right perception of the role of teachers should be redeemed in a very serious proportion. The Guru status should be again revived and restored to the teachers, and then only our land will head for progress in the right direction. 4. The individual citizens' perception of the role of teachers: Individual citizens too develop a wrong perception by measuring the profession of teaching in term of materialism principles. Materialism is the parasites eating and vitiating the society from inside. The value systems of human beings have to be guided by the principle of human goodness and the maxim should be that, man does not live by bread alone, and for getting good milk, the cow has to be fed well. Without giving any concern due to the teachers, expecting any good thing is a blundering step. Now the complaints heard every where are how things go in that way, but the present generation is the product of the recent past generation.
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)