Teachers Day is society’s reckoning day — A guest article by Brij Bhushan Goyal

A guest article by Brij Bhushan Goyal 

newspunjab.net

Civilizations will always remain indebted to its teachers. From time immemorial,
besides formal education, the society has always looked upon the teachers for
insights which help the taught to traverse the life’s trajectory later .Schools and
colleges are also remembered by its Alumni due to the fond memories of their
interaction with their teachers who leave an indelible imprint on their psyche. The
Sanskrit term ‘Guru’ too symbolizes a teacher who is a guide, expert, or master of
specific domain of knowledge or field which may be spiritual or for the mundane
world. Teachers’ day celebrations in India on Sept.5,which marks the birth
anniversary of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, an Indian philosopher and the second
President of India is befitting tribute to the institution of the teacher. This day must
be reckoned as an opportunity for heart searching by all of us including our
teachers themselves about their role effectiveness locally in ever changing societal
and economic scenario globally.
Teachers are always supposed to be agile
A school or a college teacher normally is always expected to remain alive to the
educational needs of the students as they are to finish their lessons in the given set
time during the year. By sharp contrast, this goal oriented working of a teacher to
which he/she adheres in the daily schedule is not seen in other governmental
departments. This helps the teachers agile and updated to justify their roles.
Education departments no doubt too have system and regulations to check the
teachers’ formal performance. Teachers have proved their acumenship in the
difficult times like Covid-19 pandemic situation by keeping the students hooked

online for continual studies. Government teachers despite limited resources with
them have performed no less than the private counterpart in education which
depicts the strength of our teachers.
Society demands more
As most of the time of daily routine of the students is spent with the teachers for
formal lessons, this also leaves impact of a teacher’s overall personality on the
taught. Times are always changing which pose newer challenge before the teachers
as well as the youth as both can be easily influenced by the social media. The glut
of information almost on every aspect of life on the online platform is making our
lives so messy that original thinking in the normal youth remains virtually
negligible. They are carried away by the online feed of the information without
weighing pros and cons for the well being of society which is as fragmented as
before, rather more socially and politically. Parents and families sometimes find
difficult to understand the behavior of their children. Here, an enlightened teacher
can be of better help than the families. Parents should often converse with the
teachers to know about their wards.
Teachers can become real messiahs of peace
Politics and business economy impacts our social relationships too. The teachers
too are influenced by the going on in society and often make their own mental
affiliations as well as barriers which mar the blossoming of their personalities. We
all want peace and prosperity in our lives, but the continual strife and
contradictions in society make our lives messy. However,the values of detachment,
communal harmony and respect for fellow beings can be better taught by our
teachers. But, this requires the thorough secular mindedness of the teachers who
can shape their students as versatile secular original thinking personalities. So, if a
teacher has an edge in clear thinking he/she can prepare it’s students for every
situation of life. Sometimes, even a few words of our teachers become anchor for
us in rest of our lives. All wars, disparities and discriminations in the world
eventually can be finished if the teachers start preparing the students from the
primary level by inculcating bonds of brotherhood.
Pay them adequately

Unfortunately, the contractual system in education has brought decline in teaching.
School and College teaching is being made a business like profession where
teachers may not be caring to informally groom the students as has been there
traditionally. The youth as well as their parents too are losing respect for the
teachers. Society, rather our governments should not let down the teaching
fraternity and should sort out their issues without letting them linger on for years.
Respecting teachers always should become our legacy and the teachers too are to
work hard and sincere the respect they deserve always.
—  Brij Bhushan Goyal —A Social Activist