Shri Narendra Modi addressed 2.21 lakh primary school teachers across 4,268 CRCs in the state.
Teacher student relationship is ‘Adwait’; there is no duality in it: Shri Modi
Teachers should give special attention to the weak students: Shri Modi
Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi today exhorted 2.21 lakh primary school teachers across 4,268 CRCs in the state to take time out for learning and to face the students better equipped. He interacted with teachers from Bisag at Gandhinagar through satellite Edusat while inaugurating a 10-day teachers training course for syllabus in Standard V to VII. He asked teachers to contribute in building a bright future.Shri Modi said that a true educator is one who remains a lifelong student. He said that a teacher must take care of every student and every detail of the school as long as they are in the teaching field. He believed that there is absolutely no duality in the relationship between the teacher and the student, that the relationship is wonderfully expressed by the word ‘Adwait’. When the oneness comes in, things will indeed turn out to be very different.
While interacting with the teachers, Shri Modi asked whether teachers merely want to keep an eye on their students or do they want go beyond that. He said that no teacher must resort to favoritism. He reminded the teachers to give special attention to the weak students. If we really want to change education, we must devote ourselves to the weak students first, Shri Modi said.
He added that there is a great difference between merely teaching and working dedicatedly to bring a qualitative difference in the life of the student. Shri Modi stated that teachers should not remain contend when a student solves a few sums or writes a few essays. We do not want to create robots, he said. Instead, the Chief Minister opined that the educator must change the life of the student.
Shri Modi asked the teachers to give special importance to cleanliness of the schools.He recounted an anecdote from him own life when he had visited Amul dairy where he was awestruck by a gentleman who, while taking them around bothered to pick up a piece of paper lying around on the floor. Shri Modi added that it wasn’t his job, but he still did. Similarly, there cannot be any compromise on school cleanliness because once there is cleanliness in schools the entire environment of education would change. He then urged teachers to take the lead in this by small steps like rubbing the blackboard once the teaching concludes.
The Chief Minister narrated an example of a teacher who would meet the students once the day’s school concludes and would ask them for a summary of what happened in the school. This way, not only was the teacher taking extra interest but also the students would study more as they knew they would be tested once school ends. Shri Modi said we need such initiatives in the future.
Shri Modi expressed the strong need to move from teaching towards learning. He stated that this was what our ancient Gurukul tradition taught us; that nobody teaches anybody but everybody learns together. He spoke about the fact that all talk has become extremely career oriented today, which was unfortunate. Only exams, career talk or marks should not bog down a small child. If this exists, no change can happen, the Chief Minister said.
Stressing on the importance of playing different roles at different times, Shri Modi said that if a teacher remains a teacher at home or a policeman remains a policeman at home, it would be extremely unfortunate. He again reminded the teachers that the essence of the school is the child and no one else.
During the interaction, Shri Modi shared his thoughts on Gunotsav and called for making it a success.He said that Gunotsav was a means to instill a ‘Sense of Responsibility’ so that the best comes out of the teacher. He urged teachers to work towards making the school they are working as A grade schools and centres of education.
Commenting on the changes in syllabus of Classes 5, 6, 7 and 8 Shri Modi said reaffirmed the need for teachers to keep learning themselves and updating themselves with the changing trends of academia.With fast changing times and new things happening, it is not possible to stop learning at any point of time. It is necessary to keep abreast, Shri Modi said. In conclusion, he requested teachers to work towards moving their students towards ‘Exactness’ where they are able to fully grasp what they are being taught in the classroom.
During question-answer session with the teachers, Mr. Modi said that it is the age of technology and teachers would have to be techno savvy. The new generation is more intelligent and they pick up teachers qualities fast.
Those present during the satellite talk included Minister of State for Education Shri Jaysinh Chauhan, Primary Education Secretary Shri R.P. Gupta, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Project Director Shri Manoj Agrawal and other dignitaries.
Watch : Primary School Teachers engaged in a Q & A session with Shri Narendra Modi
