Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with schoolchildren on September 4 on the eve of Teachers’ Day. The event will be organised similar to the one held last year at Manekshaw Centre in the national Capital. However, unlike last year, the interaction would be held a day before Teachers’ Day which is observed on September 5.
Without divulging more details, HRD Ministry sources said that the Prime Minister will address and interact with select school students for about two hours. Addressing students and replying to their questions via video-conferencing during the programme last year, Modi had laid emphasis on girls’ education, cleanliness and the need to protect environment while describing himself as a “task master”.
The interaction had, however, generated controversy as the students were asked to report to class on a holiday and stay back after class hours as the interaction was scheduled after 3.30 pm. Meanwhile, this year the Government has decided to double the cash reward for national award-winning teachers to `50,000 from the existing `25,000. The enhancement of the prize amount would come into effect from the 2014 award year.
Every year, the national award to teachers are handed out by the President on Teachers’ Day in recognition of their meritorious work in primary, middle and secondary schools. The total number of awards is 378, of which 20 are reserved for Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic teachers.