Opinion
Something to reflect on Teachers’ Day!
The learning revolution will happen only when the increasingly transactional Indian mindset understands and respects the role of the teacher beyond that of a relationship between a customer and a service provider.
Image used for representational purpose only.
Teachers' Day: Do we really respect our teachers?
We live in a world today, where, information overload and attention deficits are sadly the new normal! But I have revelled in this atmosphere, for the knowledge economy has been great for me, professionally and personally…
Yet, there are days I wish to be far, far away from TV, newspapers, mobile phones; especially WhatsApp and Facebook…
September 5, Teachers' day is one such day. For about 36 to 48 hours (before and after), cliched, cringe-worthy, repetitive articles, messages, and reports explode in the media space, by extension our mind spaces. It is a tired, ritualistic, entirely predictable exercise everywhere with some notable exceptions…
Beyond the one day "break" from the routine of formal classes, little is achieved. Often, it is counterproductive. The quality of the lunch and the so-called gifts add to the gossip around the School ecosystems!
In the mid-eighties, when I joined the ranks of the employed, aspirations were relatively lower, the second income in a family, somewhat of a luxury, and less prevalent.
Today, when aspirations are sky-high, the challenges for a teacher in India are among the toughest one can imagine. She, (in more than 80 percent cases), has the unenviable circus balancing act of being a mother, daughter in law, spouse, EMI provider at home, and of being a role model "Guru" in Schools and Colleges. With our society in the midst of a huge churn, single mothers are sadly increasing by the day, with the teacher community no exception to the trend.
This context is made more complex by the rapid erosion of trust between the teacher and the taught, between School managements and parents, between Government and Schools…Thus, deep down, beyond the meaningless rituals, India look down upon its teachers, rarely feeling empathetic for them, with attitudes often bordering on cynicism. Shivam Vij, a provocative, yet thinking journalist, wrote a piece in The Print last year, arguing for abolishing teachers' day, for five reasons.
Five reasons why Teachers’ Day should be abolished
While we can argue over the merits of the article, the teacher community needs to reflect on the points raised by the author, without being insecure and defensive. The mythical, heavenly Guru is dead. The cremation happened long ago.
The Prime Minister's dream of a five trillion economy can only happen with a learning revolution. The learning revolution will happen only when the increasingly transactional Indian mindset understands and respects the role of the teacher beyond that of a relationship between a customer and a service provider. Equally, we, as teachers, need to reclaim our noble profession from the education mafias. (to quote Shri Anil Swarup, former HRD Secretary).
Do we have the will for it?
Think it over.
About the author:
Lt. Col A Sekhar is Executive Director at Aditanar Educational Institutions.
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