Acharya Tulsi
Education has two facets - Quantitative & Qualitative. Quantified education has witnessed tremendous growth in our country through various means like National literacy movement (1998). State level literacy missions have bared results but have fallen short of the desired. Students in remote towns & villages were facilitated through "Education for All" program that was started in 2001, but the goal was yet out of reach.
According to a survey, the literacy rate in India is at a staggering 61% indicating a requirement for more cumulative efforts towards educating the country. Certain educationists collectively think that education must be the foundation stone for national development. If every educated citizen becomes responsible to educate another illiterate, then the expected pace in "Education for All" program shall be achieved. These missions/programs are worth only for the spread of quantitative education in contrast to qualitative education. Until education is not imported with qualitative emphasis, the inner talent of students will remain untouched.
Some Important vows
According to ex-president Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the responsibility to sculpt talented students must be shouldered by teachers. On teacher's day, 5 Sept 2008 he suggested ten vows for every teacher:
- My aim will be the development of students.
- I have to take average students towards great heights.
- My behaviour with my students will be cordial and friendly.
- My life & behaviour shall become Ideal for my students.
- I will encourage students to ask questions & transform them into intellectual citizens.
- I will not discriminate between my students on grounds of religion, language or community etc.
- I will continuously develop myself.
- I will celebrate the success of my students.
- I will contribute to the development of nation.
- I will inculcate great ideas in my mind and will maintain purity of my ideas & deed.
Such teachers are the need of the hour!
To revolutionize education it is important for idealist teachers to come together & stand as one. The first Bharat Ratna nominee was Dr. C.V. Raman, who was to be awarded the honour in the presence of the President Dr. Rajendra Prasad at Rashtrapti Bhavan in the year 1954. Dr. C.V. Raman with utmost humility expressed his incapability to attend the program through a letter. The reason he cited was completion of his student's Ph.D during that time which might get hampered if he attended the awards function.
Such dedicated teachers are the need of the hour today, who place their students above their personal gains.
