New Delhi, Sep 5 (Bureau) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with the National Awards winning teachers on the occasion of Teacher’s day here. “Today, when the country has started fulfilling its colossal dreams of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s efforts in the field of education inspire all of us. On this occasion, I congratulate all the teachers who received the National Award,” the Prime Minister said. He also reminded the teachers that it is all the more important to be felicitated by the current President of India who is also a teacher and has taught in far-flung places of Odisha. The Prime Minister highlighted the knowledge and dedication of teachers and pointed out that their biggest quality is a positive outlook that enables them to work with students relentlessly for their improvement.
“The role of a teacher is to show the light to a person, and it is them who sow the dreams and teach them to turn the dreams into resolve,” he said. “You are helping the students in shaping their lives and also giving form to the contours of the country,” he said. The Prime Minister said that when a teacher becomes associated with the dreams of the student, he achieves success in getting their respect and affection. The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of removing conflict and contradictions in the various areas of the lives of the students. He said it is important that there is no conflict in what a student experiences in school, society and at home. He emphasised the need for an integrated approach by the teachers and partners with the families of the students to nurture the students. He also advised against having likes and dislikes for the students and treating every student equally. The Prime Minister stressed the need to imbibe the National Educational Policy in such a way that this government document turns into the basis of the students’ lives. He also stressed that the teachers have a monumental role to play in the implementation of the National Educational Policy. The Prime Minister recalled his Independence Day proclamation of ‘Panch Pran’ and suggested that these Panch Prans may be discussed regularly in the schools so that their spirit is clear to the students.
“There should be no student in the entire country who does not have a dream for 2047,” he said. Remarking on India’s achievement of surpassing the United Kingdom to become the 5th largest economy in the world, the Prime Minister said that the pleasure of surpassing those who ruled over India for approximately 250 years supersedes the mere statistics of improved ranking from 6th largest to 5th largest economy. “We have broken the shackles of thousands of years of slavery, and now we will not stop now. We will only move forward,” the Prime Minister said. While concluding his address, the Prime Minister urged the teachers of the country to assimilate a similar spirit into the future of India so that its strength grows manifold. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi were those present on occasion. The National Awards to Teachers accords public recognition to meritorious teachers working in elementary and secondary schools. For the award this year, 45 teachers from across the country have been selected through a rigorous and transparent online three-stage process.