Nuances of observing Teacher’s Day : Profundity of the day
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 06, 2014 -

Respect. This is precisely the very reason behind the universal practise of setting aside a day for the teachers every year on September 5. Teacher’s Day.

No only just another day, but a day packed with profound meanings, making it a significant day not just for the students but others who have passed the stage of student days.

In fact so deeply ingrained is the profundity of the day that the message behind the observance of such a day cuts across all sections of people, irrespective of where a person is placed in life.

In a country like India where there is something profound whenever one talks about the Guru-Shishya relationship, this day holds a special meaning and significance. The Gurukul system of education is a case in point.

A system which stresses on the point that a teacher is not just someone who teaches the young students within the four walls of a classroom but is seen as someone who can and will double up as the parent, the guardian and elder of the young students.

No wonder then that Teacher’s Day is observed as something more than a day set aside for teachers in a country like India.

Maybe it has got something to do with the avowed mission to do something different and increasingly it has become more than clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is intent on making this day something special.

It is perhaps in line with this stream of thought that the Prime Minister has taken more than a cursory interest on this day. This more than explains why Delhi is so keen to ensure that all schools set aside the day and students can listen to the Prime Minister.

Manipur as a State of the Union of India has not been left lagging behind with Chief Minister O Ibobi and others attending a function, which many have felt bordered more on a State function.

That many Government school teachers had to go outstation and make sure that the celebration of the day does not go down the drain underlines the importance given to Teacher’s Day by the Modi Government.

It is perfectly in line with the objective of the Prime Minister to keep in touch with every section of the people and reaching out to school children is surely one of the ways to go about with the business of trying to make a difference.

However as developments in the run up to Teacher’s Day demonstrated, not everyone was taken in by the purported plans of the Government to celebrate the day on the scale it was done.

That there were opposing views to the call of the Prime Minister across the country would be more than an academic interest to numerous people, especially amongst schools and educational institutions which expressed grave reservations over the whip of the Government to make it compulsory for all students and teachers to attend school on September 5.

The timing of the Prime Minister’s address to the students too threw up a number of opposition.

As announced earlier, the Prime Minister was to address the students from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm and all schools had to make the necessary arrangements for the students to listen to the Prime Minister.

Moreover some Union Ministers went overboard in trying to give the observation of the day that Modiesque touch with Union Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani floating the idea that Teacher’s Day can and should be celebrated as Guru Utsav.

That this proposal was chucked out following the large scale voice of protest is another matter, but it is more than an indication that any idea or proposal can throw a spanner to something as noble as setting aside a day for teachers in an academic year.