[dropcap]E[/dropcap]very September 5 is celebrated as Teachers’ Day through out the length and breadth of India. . It is right and proper that we celebrate this day in honor of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, on his birth anniversary. He was the second President of India. As a distinguished man of letters he perhaps did not have much grassroots support like his predecessor, Dr Rajendra Prasad, but he had an international reputation as a philosopher. Dr Radhakrishnan was also an eminent educationist, eloquent speaker, distinguished diplomat, statesman and author.It is also right and proper that students set aside at least a day to salute their teachers through various rituals which are but mere symbolic activities. What is of more relevance is that we should be grateful for the knowledge that they have imparted according to the subjects they master in.
Of even greater concern is whether or not students have imbibed the roots of knowledge which can grow and blossom into an entity of universal dimensions if properly and lovingly nurtured.
It is also enlightening to know that almost all countries of the world have their own versions of Teachers’ Day and UNESCO itself has ensured a “World Teachers’ Day” on October 5.
Apart from Teachers’ Day celebration, there have been other ways of honouring the teacher. For instance, E.R. Braithwaite wrote “To Sir With Love”—a story of a white girl student falling in love with her African American teacher. The film starring Sidney Poitier and Lulu singing the theme song was a hit.
Another tribute was made by James Hilton in his novella “Goodbye, Mr Chips” wherein he portrayed a moving, deftly written, rather sentimental story of a gentle ageing schoolmaster and his long, close association with the students and the school in which he taught for 42 years. The film starring Peter O’Toole and Petula Clark was also a huge success.
Similarly, there are other stories about teachers and their students and even about happened later on in years.
Unfortunately in India, India, gangs of students have been known to physically assault their teachers. In Dimapur too, so did a boy assault his Principal some days back but these are the exceptions rather than the rule and have not gone unpunished. But it is the better side of education that we deal with here.
It is, of course the home that is the primary as well the secondary and be all classroom, of a student. It is where they learn the fundamentals of existence and survival, love and affection, the beauty, and in some cases the ugliness of life.
The Book of Proverbs is a collection of moral and religious teachings in the form of sayings and proverbs. Much of it has to do with practical, everyday concerns but also deals with religious morality. It begins with the reminder that “To have knowledge you must first have reverence for the Lord” whose only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, was the greatest teacher of all!
