Every year September 5 is celebrated as Teachers day in India. This is a day to remember, honour and appreciate the role of teachers in our lives. It is also the birthday of the former President of India and a great teacher himself, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. When Dr. Radhakrishnan became the President of India in 1962, some of his students and friends had approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate September 5, as his birthday. In reply Dr. Radhakrishnan said, “instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers’ Day”. The gesture by Dr Radhakrishnan’s was manifest of his love for the teaching profession. From then onwards, the day has been observed as Teachers’ Day all over the country. Today is therefore a good time to introspect on the role being played by teachers in moulding the future generation of citizens. We need to perhaps be honest in admitting that the teaching profession is not what it used to be—to develop the character of students. The selflessness associated with the profession is now more about increment and bargaining for better pay or posting. When a teacher is reduced to this status, the expectations of instilling values are in vain.
The problem seems to be that in a majority of cases, a teacher is there in the schools not because he or she wants to teach but more out of their need for a job, financial security and the guarantee of a lifelong pension. This is the kind of attitude that has developed as far as the teaching profession is concerned. As a result one of the endemic problems we are faced in Nagaland is teacher absentees in schools because most never wanted to teach anyway, they were only after the job and perks. When teachers remain absent, they are simply denying the right to education to the students. In the most recent case reported in the local media, a students’ organization in Tuensang district, Confederation of Chessore Students’ Union, has decided to launch the first phase of agitation in the government high school of Chessore demanding transfer of “neglected teachers” along with the “headmaster.” It is not the duty of students to be engaging in protests but such is the frustration because of teachers’ absentees. In the past also there have been instances of government schools shutting down. To add to this, teachers salary devour the majority of the education budget. And to hear that schools in small towns and villages do not have enough teachers is adding insult to injury.
We need to start implementing the idea of ‘no work no pay’. At present this is the only way to punish non-performers. It would be of interest to note that a survey carried out by the Education Commission of Nagaland some years ago had recorded people’s response that external interference in teachers’ recruitment and transfers, including that by the politicians, should be stopped. The Commission further reported that teachers should be recruited through competitive examinations and that monitoring and evaluation of schools should be carried out. These are reform measures that remain good only on paper. There seems to be no will to change the present corrupt and incompetent system. Teachers have been recruited not to run after loaves of office but to teach in schools. The NSF should continue to act as a watchdog. Full support will be required of the community if at all reform measures are to succeed. And off course the powerful politicians must exercise restraint and not subvert the system.
