Morung Express News
Kohima | September 5
The belief that teachers are the ‘pillars of society, the builders of nations’ have been accepted by one and all. Grateful former students and present students all over the state organized a befitting Teachers’ Day programme in different places in honour of their teachers. In the state capital Kohima, Chief Secretary Lalhuma graced the state-level teachers’ day celebration at the local ground and called upon the teachers to give extra effort, adding when teachers teach with love, compassion and dedication, they ‘bring out good students.’ He quoted “Best teachers teach from the heart not from the book”.
He also urged upon the students to take a pledge to respect and obey their teachers and “follow whatever they teach us.” “If the students don’t honour the teachers, education can never improve”, he added.
Elaborating on effectiveness of teachers, Nagaland University (NU) Vice Chancellor Prof. K. Kannan, quoted Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s words, ‘an effective teacher will take great pains to create a non-threatening environment in his/her class room. A friendly atmosphere in the class room makes learners address their concern.’
Kannan said that an effective teacher leaves the student engaged in academic activities most of the time, becomes a facilitator but not a dictator and manages students’ behaviour, student’s learning, using a variety of methods and constantly generating alternative methods. Kannan said that an effective teacher resists every attempt at ‘spoon-feeding’ since it is self defeating.
Calling for self-empowerment, Kannan said, “Let us march on towards building a meaningful teaching- learning environment by empowering ourselves and empowering our learners in return. Let empowerment be the keyword on this Teachers’ Day. I look forward towards my teachers being effectively empowered.”
Naga Students Federation (NSF) president Imchatoba in his speech said that teachers are role models for all the students ‘as they shape and mould them.’
Governor K. Sankaranarayanan in his message called upon the teaching fraternity to strive harder to make children achieve higher standards in education. Stating that Nagaland is a mountainous land-locked state located in the north east region with its own problems of connectivity, the Governor said “the best investment we can make is in the education of our children.”
‘We must not forget that the foundation of the character of our students is laid by our teachers,’ he said adding that a good teacher not only imparts sound knowledge and skills but also inculcates the spirit of inquiry and helps develop the sense of right and wrong.
Also extending warmest Teachers’ Day greetings to all the teachers across the state, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in his message said teachers should continuously strive to uphold the image and prestige of the teaching profession.
Rio stated that a very important and challenging task of the teacher is “to inculcate the thirst for learning in the students, so that they are eager to drink at the fountain of knowledge.” Pointing out that teachers occupy a special position in the society as they mould future leaders, scientists and responsible citizens, Rio stated that teachers have been revered from time immemorial and that it would be difficult to imagine a world without teachers.
“They (Teachers) are indeed the nation builders”, he stated and referred to great scientists and scholars like Dr S. Radhakrishnan, CV Raman, Dr JC Bose and Prof Amartya Sen while informing that they were all once teachers themselves. “This should serve as an inspiration for all teachers, reminding them that theirs is an honourable profession”, Rio stated.
Further, the Chief Minister reminded the teachers that “they have chosen this noble profession on their own volition, and therefore, they must prove themselves worthy of this noble profession by living an exemplary life, that will inspire and motivate the students to become good citizens.”
Messages from the President of India, Ministry of Human Resources were read to mark the event. Earlier, the function was chaired by E. Ezung, IAS, Secretary, Department of School Education. Special items, entertainment, a tribute of teacher, short recitation, honouring of teachers, reading of messages also marked the occasion. Later, the Chief Secretary Lalhuma presented Nagaland Teacher’s State Award to 34 teachers for their meritorious services. Vote of thanks was tendered by Nipusilie Angami, Additional Director (HoD), School Education.
