Teachers are heart of education: Pratibha
BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI
Sept. 5: President Pratibha Patil said teachers were the heart of the country’s education system and constant efforts must be made to upgrade their skills and academic curriculum.
"There can be no viable solution to our educational challenges without revitalising teacher education and promoting respect for the teaching profession," President Patil said, after presenting national awards to 320 meritorious teachers from across the country on the occasion of Teachers’ Day.
She said constant efforts should be made to upgrade the skills of teachers and also called for initiatives to strengthen teacher education structures during the 11th Plan period.
"The government has also accepted an important recommendation of the National Knowledge Commission to inter-connect all knowledge institutions through electronic digital broadband network to encourage sharing of resources and collaborative research," she said.
The President favoured imparting quality education in rural areas which lacked infrastructure facilities and good teachers.
"I am happy that the Navodaya Vidyalayas in the rural areas are fulfilling these objectives of nurturing rural talent," she said.
Referring to the ancient learning centres like Nalanda, Vikramshila and Nagarjunakonda Universities, the President said India has a great tradition of learning and its teachers often work in most difficult conditions, providing invaluable service to the individual, society and the nation.
"We must all remember that education is a vehicle to instil values for bringing about social change. It is often the teacher who is the window to the outside world, shaping the perceptions of the young students," she said.
The President said a good teacher teaches well, but a better teacher inculcates human values on the wards in such a way that they become their guiding light for a lifetime.
"What are these values? I believe these are learning to be honest and to work honestly; respecting parents, elders and fellow human beings as well as learning to accept that each individual can have different opinions and those differences can be resolved through dialogue," she said.
Ms Patil said if all award winning teachers can imbibe these principles in their students, then the country can take a big step towards strengthening the democracy and the nation, which lives and thrives in the spirit of tolerance and unity in diversity.
"It is only when our nation is strengthened by a generation with these humanistic values that we would have developed in the true sense," she said.
The President said she was looking forward to the teaching community showing greater professionalism, commitment and dedication to transform the education system.