Governor Balramji Das Tandon felicitated 24 teachers at Raj Bhavan during the State-level teachers’ felicitation programme held here on Friday.
The programme was presided over by Chief Minister Raman Singh.
In his address, Tandon said that the teachers with their illuminating thoughts guide the students and leaders of the future.
While congratulating the award-winning teachers at the State-level ‘Shikshak Samman Samaroh’, he said that teachers shape the careers of upcoming generations. The country's future is entirely relied upon teachers.
The thought process of the school children is moulded by teachers which is of vital importance for nation-building. Teachers guide the kids from darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. The duty of teachers is to inculcate moral, ethical and patriotic feelings among the children, Tandon said.
The Governor said that India had produced a galaxy of renowned teachers like Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and Shri Aurobindo. “Dr Radhakrishnan was a profound thinker, famous teacher and a great example to emulate,” he said.
Tandon remarked that former President late A P J Abdul Kalam called teachers ‘backbone of the nation’ and pillar on which the entire society rests.
Tandon said that there are countless teachers who work in hostile and unfavourable conditions and still spread the light of knowledge to the ignorant.
“Education only can ignite the minds of the masses. The spread of education is challenging in many regions of the State”, he said.
“Education is spreading faster among the general public and at the same time moral and ethical values are rapidly falling. The nation has achieved a lot in the field of education post Independence,” he said.
The students of our country had achieved great name for the country in the field of scientific and technical education. We are still far away from Total literacy. The schools for the depressed sections and girls are almost everywhere in the entire State and the nation, Tandon said.
He said the quality of education should be improved and interest in the field of sports, music and fine arts should be inculcated among students. “Teachers should update their knowledge as well,” he urged.
“Modern methods like video-conferencing, tele-education and smart class should be adapted to the system to spread education among the neglected sections of the society. Highly talented teachers should be appointed to provide better quality education to the children,” Tandon said.
“The meritorious students should come forward to become teachers of the future generations. There should be co-ordination between teacher, taught and the ruler,” he said.
Career counselling should be done at the tenth and twelfth standard-levels so that the students can decide their career in advance. ‘The entire society should strive for giving a special status to the teaching fraternity,” Tandon said.
In the programme, School Education and Tribal Development Minister Kedar Kashyap was present as special guest.
Four out of 24 teachers were adorned with the prestigious awards in the memory of great figures such as late Dr Padumlal Punnalal Bakshi, late Gajanan Madhav Muktibodh, late Dr Mukutdhar Pandey and late Dr Baldev Prasad Mishra.
Each of them was awarded a sum of Rs50,000 along with shawl, shreephal, certificate and books.
Besides, 20 teachers were honoured with State Teacher Award 2014. They were awarded Rs11,000, shawl, shreephal, and certificate.
On the occasion, School Education Minister Kedar Kashyap announced names of 18 teachers, who have been selected for State Teacher Award 2015.
On the occasion, in his address, Chief Minister Raman Singh announced that teachers’ felicitation programmes will now be convened at block, district and division-level also.
“For this, ‘Mukhyamantri Shiksha Gaurav Alankaran’ will be set up at three-levels in this session itself,” he said.
“Under this, teachers selected at block-level will be honoured by ‘Shiksha Doot’ award, those chosen at district-level will be adorned with ‘Gyandeep’ award and ‘Shikshashri’ award for teachers nominated at division-level,” Singh said.
He said that teachers play a key role in educating and giving the right direction to the society.
“Programmes to felicitate teachers at state-level and national-level are already being conducted, under which best teachers are selected, awarded and felicitated,” Singh said.
Moreover, other hard-working, active and innovative teachers are also recognised and awarded from time to time. In similar sequance, State Government has decided to introduce block, district and division-level awards for teachers, so that they are motivated to give their best to the profession, he said.
Singh said that presently, one teacher from each district is selected for Governor Teacher Award.
The State Government has decided that from next year two teachers will be selected from each of the 28 education districts including newly-constituted education district Sakti.
In this way, there will be a provision of Governor Teacher Award for total a total of 56 teachers.
Singh said that presently, selected teachers are awarded Rs11,000 along with Governor Teacher Award, which will be hiked to Rs21,000 from next year.