By Varghese Alengaden

Indore, Sept 4, 2020: India has a sacred tradition of venerating teachers. Our scriptures are full of references glorifying teachers. Much before we started celebrating Teachers on September 5, we had the tradition of celebrating Gurupurnima.

All of us know and quote the famous quote from Guru Gita, “Guru Bramha, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheswara, Guru Sakshat Parabramha, Tasmai Shree Guruve Namah. (Guru is Bramha, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is the Shiva, Guru is real God, I bow before that God).

We also know well what revolutionary statement the saintlypPoet Kabir Das said, “Guru Govind dou khade, kake lagoom pay, Balihari guru aapno, Govid diyo batay.” (“When Govinda (God) and Guru (teacher) standing together whose leg should I touch first? I shall first salute Guru because it was Guru who introduced God to me.”)

We solemnly quote these sacred verses in our speeches. In reality today India has become a country where teachers don’t get the honor and dignity they deserve. Though “teaching is the profession that teaches all other professions,” today in the career market teaching profession is the last option of students and parents. Hence many teachers are there by chance not by choice. A large number of teachers do not want their children to become teachers.

Though in the ancient days teachers had the maximum respect in society, today they are not only neglected but often insulted and assaulted both by parents and students. In the past teachers were persons whom the kings and the whole society looked up for guidance. Ramayana and Mahabharata have several references of the dominant role played by teachers in the decision making process.

The teachers who are lucky to obtain a job in Government schools and colleges feel very secure because they get very good salary with all perks and privileges. Yet neither the public nor the government officials are bothered about the poor quality of education in government schools and colleges. Government schools in Kerala are an exception. Today many of them have better standard than many private schools. Teachers who receive salary from government have the public pressure to perform.

The teachers who are working in private schools are expected to work more for less salary and with no privileges in comparison to the government teachers. Yet they don’t get respect neither from school management nor from parents. The lockdown of schools due to pandemic Covid 19 has exposed the negative attitude of parents and government to these teachers of private schools

In many cities parents and local politicians are protesting against the private schools and refusing to pay even the tuition fees. At the same time both the politicians and the public are silent about the corruption and exploitation by the private hospitals and doctors.

Schools are making arrangements for online classes. Yet the parents refuse to pay wages for the labor of the teachers and schools. Politicians and government also support the parents for vote-bank politics. Why don’t they have the sensitivity to think that teachers too have families and children to take care?

If teachers don’t get salary how will they live? How will the private schools pay the salary if the parents don’t pay at least the tuition fee? Why don’t the ministers who speak for the parents don’t express the same concern for the teachers? Do they ever realize that teachers have to spent more time to prepare for online classes than the normal class room classes ? If they find fault with the private schools and their teachers why don’t they go and join the government schools where the teachers are receiving full salary from the tax payer’s money?

While we greet teachers and speak great things about teaching profession on September 5, don’t forget to give honor and justice to teachers, especially those who work in private schools with more dedication. Government, politicians and parents shall shed their step-motherly treatment and show respect by giving them their due wages

A country that doesn’t respect its teachers and make them its integral part will not progress.