The Role of a Teacher in Nation Building
In the construction of society, in the building of a nation, and in shaping the future youth generation, a teacher's role is like one of the four foundation pillars of a house. We all know that without teachers, the development of education happens in the same way as a helpless, weak king affects his subjects and nation. It is evident that "As is the king, so are the subjects."
"As is the teacher, so is the knowledge; as is the knowledge, so is the character. As is the character, so is the student; as is the student, so is the nation-building."
Today in our society, the role of a teacher has become just like a horse that has been given the opportunity to participate in a competition but whose feet have been bound in chains.
Such is the wretched condition of teachers today,
Like a racing horse tied with ropes by society.
Perhaps comparing teachers to donkeys, dogs, or ordinary laborers would not be an exaggeration; because nowadays in private schools, teachers are treated exactly like this - worked like donkeys, sent here and there like dogs, and like helpless laborers, not even paid proper wages. The lack of special steps taken by the government in this regard suggests a shortage of teachers in the coming future. Today, whoever is becoming a teacher is doing so because of some particular circumstance - no one wants to become a teacher by choice. For verification of this, I visited many schools and spoke with several parents. This is my own personal research.
To confirm this point, I entered a classroom of 25 students in a school and after some conversation, I tried to learn about their future aspirations. I asked each one in turn: "What do you want to become in the future?"
Then only two students replied "Teacher," the rest chose other professions.
To get to the bottom of this research, I asked the students who gave other answers:
"You could also become teachers, but why didn't you choose this?"
The students' opinions were something like this:
Teachers' salaries are very low. Teachers are made to run around the most (the students expressed this differently than my words). Teachers don't get any special facilities. There are no facilities for their children. Today's teacher has become merely a puppet. A teacher is a teacher in name only. They have no authority, to the extent that they can't even scold students for misbehavior. If while scolding, they call a student a 'donkey,' they will be humiliated! They will be imprisoned! Is this the respect a guru receives?
Is this the dignity that remains for a guru who builds the nation without any personal benefit? The one who imprisons is also someone who was once educated by the same teaching community, because of whom they have reached this position today. They have been given the authority to insult their guru, but the guru has not been given any authority.
After hearing all this conversation, my eyes became moist, and my bundle of questions broke and scattered. I shuddered and realized that indeed, the life of a teacher is in danger today. "When a teacher will teach out of fear of students or their parents or private school administrators, they will surely call wrong as right, and by doing so, the lack of proper education will persist in the nation. On paper, everyone will become educated, but they will be called educated fools."
A teacher should be such that they receive respect.
If you don't wish to honor them, at least don't insult them. Give teachers their rightful authority now.
So that the youth can also be prepared for the nation.
Dr. Rahul Pratap Singh
