Who is a teacher? Social Responsibility of Teachers and their Importance

Source- St. Joseph's Convent

Dr Mosharraf Alam, Countercurrents : Every year on September 5, Teachers’ Day is celebrated in the country. Dr. Radhakrishnan’s birthday is celebrated as Teachers’ Day. He was born on September 5, 1888, in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. Dr. Radhakrishnan was the country’s second president, first vice president, and second ambassador to the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1954 for his important services. He started his career as a philosophy teacher at Presidency College, Chennai, and ended his teaching career as Vice-Chancellor at Banaras Hindu University. He has given important and valuable time of his life in the field of education and training. That is why his birthday is celebrated as Teachers’ Day.

A teacher plays an important role in building a good society. The teacher teaches the children to read and write and makes them aware of every new thing that is completely new to them. A teacher exposes children to a new world during education and training and gives them a new view of the world. He tries to make him a good person with child-mindedness. So that these children can form a good society as good people. In this way, from school to university, the teacher has an important role in making the children conscious citizens, which can never be forgotten.

If one examines the role of the teacher in Indian society today, there is some disappointment. The reason for this disappointment is that some teachers in India today have forgotten their important duty. They are equipping the children with such education and training, which is becoming a threat to the unity of the country. There are some recent examples in front of us; on the other hand, if we talk about the pure personal character of the teacher today, it has also fallen to a great extent. From school to college, some teachers do not refrain from violating the integrity of their students. News of abuse, rape and sexual harassment by teachers continue to come. This shows how much the quality of the teacher has fallen in our society today. Today, there has been a big fall in the relationship between the teacher and the student. One of the main reasons for this is the entry of capitalism into the field of education. In this buying and selling of education, the relationship between teacher and student has also become a market relationship and the importance of this relationship has also decreased. Students today think that they have bought education with money and the teacher is a service provider. But the education they get from their teacher is a priceless thing.

The position of teacher has been very high in Indian culture and civilization. In this society, the position of teacher is placed after God and before parents. If shown in the Hindu Dharma Shashatra, the position of the teacher is equal to that of God. But today, due to the deteriorating character of the teacher from all sides and the inattention of the public, he has not been able to maintain that position. If we talk about the respect of the teacher by the people in the society, it has also decreased a lot. 

Today every student is highly appreciated and rewarded for their good performance and success. But the teacher who plays an important role behind their success is completely forgotten. Today the students have also forgotten to honour and respect their teacher and are trampling on his honour and greatness. These days, students do not consider it wrong to raise their hands on their teachers and beat them. Today in our society there is a need to give the teacher his original social position again. There is a need to develop a good relationship between teacher and student. At the same time, the teacher also needs to change his personal and moral standards and character. Only then a teacher will be able to fulfil his important duty in the society and the work of making good human beings and good citizens will continue smoothly. National unity will also be strengthened and mutual unity will also be maintained. Then the real benefits of celebrating Teacher’s Day will come out; otherwise, this day will remain a ritual.

Dr Mosharraf Alam, Ph. D, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi