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The failed educator Sir, "I have found that students' imbibe more from the teachers own lives than they do from the books that they read to them or lectures that they deliver to them with their lips. Woe to the teacher who teaches one thing with his lips and carries another in his breast." Thus spake Bapu the victim of ritualistic obeisance officially stage managed on Jan 30 year by year. Bapu had an exalted conception of a teacher and he did not even spare the one who was not worth one's salt. The present-day teacher in the grip of back-breaking interplay of economic forces undershed in the market, spine-chilling societal pressures and a cross competition for the goodies of life has been reduced to a nonentity in a majority of cases. He has been reduced to an insignificant cog in the educational wheel and creaks and groans when the demand of the system prove to be the straw broke the camel's back. He is more educated, flaunts more degress, attends sufficient number of workshops, seminars and symposia as also walks like an intellectual engrossed in the technicalities of issues but he cannot outrightly steer clear of opporbium that the society heaps on him for having failed to deliver the goods. If the students have been affected by the neon lights of the world of advertisement, showbiz and various extraneous forces the teacher too has not escaped the dragnet. We have reached such a stage when we shall have to admit that we have failed as torchbearers and much in the educational worked has turned topsy-turvy. More and more numbers remotely connected with education are being recuited to cope with the surmounting pressure on account of opening of new schools and colleges but I am bound to assert that the end product of imperfect teachers is likely to be a permanent societal irritation of an inexplicable variety. Parents condemn the teachers when the youth disrespect them and often pass the buck to the teacher. But who will tell the parents that their involvement is also solicited to handle the irrepressible youth. Do we have responsible and vociferous parent teacher associations? The answer is in the negative. I know that the demands on the teachers are too many but once one joins this noble profession it is better to imbibe without loss of time the qualities of compassion and missing restraint willy-nilly. It is a difficult proposition because the present-day likely to be educators are the product of this rotten system of education as they did not come in contact with those who were like the lightening from the heaven and most studied the bad and the sage." What is the solution? A very lengthy prescription never finds favour with the patient. Rigorous academic exercises by quality conscious teachers, accountability and priority to education sector is the crying need of the hour. Will someone seriously reflect on these issues and act accordingly? Shall we go on sinking deep and further deep into the vortex of politics which has seeped into every department of life? These are the issues requiring a thorough soul-searching and consequent threadbare discussion ultimately resulting in time frame action plan to cleanse augean stables wherever they have mushroomed. Yours etc..... |
