We are disturbed by the circulars issued by the CBSE and other authorities dealing with different systems like the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Directorate of Education, Delhi, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, etc. asking schools to make arrangements to ensure that all the school children across the country listen to the Prime Minister’s address to the children in their school premises on the occasion of Teacher’s Day on September 5.
It is an extraordinary and unprecedented step in the history of school education in independent India. Not only does this order treat children as passive and captive elements who do not have a view of their own, it also violates the international convention of Child Rights which says that children have a right to form opinion and therefore they need to be asked whether they would like to be part of such an extra-school activity beyond their usual school hours.
Although the MHRD has clarified verbally that this is a voluntary activity and not binding on the schools and children, yet the written orders by the authorities are still in effect asking the schools to furnish the status report by 2nd September and remain prepared for surprise inspections in this regard.
Moreover, schools are being asked to spend from their own resource pool which in itself is very poor and inadequate. The resources identified for school related activities are sought to be diverted for an extraneous activity, not intrinsic to the curriculum.
The Prime Minister is taking over the day, which belongs to the teaching community and pushing them off stage. This attempt to hegemonize social spaces needs to be condemned and resisted. The Prime Minister is not the Teacher-in-Chief of the country and he should leave the children alone.
We demand that the orders issued in this regard be withdrawn immediately and the solemnity and gaiety of the day be left untouched.
1. Apoorvanand, Delhi University
2. Mukul Priyadarshini, Miranda House, Delhi University
3.Prachi Kalra, University of Delhi
4.Laxmi Murthy, Journalist, Bangalore
5.Jenny Rowena, Dept of English, Miranda House, University of Delhi
6.Hany Babu, Dept of English, University of Delhi
7.Dvijendra Nath Kalia, University of Delhi
8.Firoz Ahmad B-8, Neelkanth-1, Burari Main Road, Sant Nagar, Delhi- 110084
9Ira Singh, Deptt of English, Miranda House
10.Preeti Chauhan, Lakshmibai College
11.Om Prakash, Zakir Hussain Delhi College
12.Ashu Threja
13. Radhika Menon, University 0f Delhi
14. Naveen Gaur, Dept. of Physics, Dyal Singh College, University 0f Delhi
15.Dr Yasser Arafath, Dept of History, University of Delhi
16. Asmita Aasaavari, CORD, New Delhi
17.Abha Dev Habib, Physics Department, Miranda House, University of Delhi
18.Nidhi Seth, Delhi
19.Nandini Dutta, Miranda House, University 0f Delhi
20.Nidhi Gulati, University 0f Delhi
21.Sadhna Saxena, CIE, University 0f Delhi
22.Prabhat Kumar, Ankur Society for Alternatives in Education, Delhi
23.Tultul Biswas, Bhopal
24.Dr. Rohini Hensman, writer and independent scholar, Mumbai
25.Dr. Jairus Banaji (historian, Mumbai/SOAS London
26. Kasim Sait
27.Manisha Sethi, JMI
28.Sanghamitra Misra, DU
29.Rahul Govind, DU,
30 Tanweer Fazal, JNU
31 Mona Das., DU
32.Ahmed Sohaib JMI
33. Aparajay, student from MIDS, Chennai
34.Mohammad Imran
35.Nivedita Menon, Professor, JNU
36.Kamayani Bali Mahabal, Feminist and Human Rights Activist, Bombay
37.Nandini Manjrekar, TISS, Mumbai
38.Smriti Sharma, University 0f Delhi
39.Senganglu THaimei, Dept of English, Miranda House, University of Delhi
40. Shweta Sachdeva Jha, Dept of English, Miranda House, University of Delhi
41.Parul Bharadwaj, Dept of English, Miranda House, University of Delhi
42.Yemuna Sunny, Eklavya, Hoshangabad, MP
43.Tanvir Aeijaz, Ramjas College, University of Delhi
44.Janaki Nair, JNU
45.Janaki Rajan, Jamia Millia Islamia
46.Sukla Sen , Mumbai
47.Shrenik Mutha, MKSS, Rajasthan
48. Ramakant Agnihotri
49. Mukul Dube, Delhi
50.Kiran Shaeen, Journalist,Delhi
51.Nasiruddin H Khan, Journalist, Delhi
52. Dr. Manoj Kumar Jha,Professor and Head’Department of Social Work, University of Delhi
53. Dr. Sanjay kumar, St.Stephen’s College,DU
54.Dinesh Patel, Eklavya, Bhopal
55.Uday Kumar, Professor, Department of English, DU
56.Firoz Ahmaed, Delhi
57.Reyazul Haq, Writer, Delhi
58. Aamir Edresy, President, Association of Muslim Professionals
59.Tejaswini Niranjana, TISS, Mumbai
60.Vineet Tiwari,Gen. Secretary, Madhya Pradesh Progressive Writers Association
61.Mohammad Imran
62.Dhawal Jaiswal, Researcher, Delhi University
63.Sandeep Dube, Eklavya, Bhopal
64.Laxmi Murthy, Journalist, Bnagalore
65.Alex D’Mello, Mumbai
66.Brinelle D’souza, TISS, Mumbai
67. Anubhuti Maurya, DU
68.Mary E John,CWDS, Delhi
69. Subhash Gatade,Writer,Delhi
70.Ali Javed, Department of Urdu, DU
71.Sharmila Purkayastha, Delhi
72. Sasawati Sengupta, Miranda House,DU
73. Karen Gabreil, St. Stephen’s College, Du
74.Ashley Telli, DU
75. Anjali Norohna, Eklavya, Bhopal
76.Preeti Verma,Parent, Delhi
77.Dr. Shreekant Gupta, St. Stephen’s College, DU
78.Dr. Ira Raja, DU
77. Ranjit Abhgyan, Nidan, Delhi
78.Sudha Vasan, DU
79. Purwa Bharadwaj, Writer, Delhi
80.Ayesha Kidwai,JNU
81.Rajiv Kunwar, Dayal Singh College, DU
82.Anupama Jha, Educationist, Delhi
83.Anjali kanitkar, Mumbai
84.Kiran Nimbus, Anna University
85.Ashutosh Kumar, DU
86.Kaveri R I, Hyderabad Central University
87. Mukul Mangalik, DU
89. Aditya Nigam, CSDS,Delhi
90. Arvind Kumar, A&A Publishers, Gurgaon
91.Neshat Kausar, JMI,Delhi
92. Sambudha Sen, DU
93. Cedric Prakash, Ahmedabad
94. Ritu Dewan
95. Vijay Orkay
96. Tathagata Sengupta, University of Hyderabad
97.Mallika Sarabhai, Ahmedabad
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
These so called self-styled “intellectuals”have caused more harm and damage to the Nation. Do they lack support of paid appeasement fellas ?
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I fully agree with you. They are probably now afraid that NaMo’s reputation will now eclipse all these so called intellectuals.
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What’s wrong with you people? This is the first time a PM of this country wants to address the future of our country, our children. What’s wrong with that. A 15-30 minute address by Modi is worth looking forward to. Atleast give him a chance and listen to what he has to say. Nehru doesn’t own the ‘chacha’ tag. He has been hyped unnecessarily. Just shut up and give Modi a chance to interact with the future generation of this country. Do not politicize everything.
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PM has hijacked a day dedicated to the teaching fraternity. As PM he has the right to address and many of us are glad that he has chosen to do so.The manner in which the honorable PM went about it is not appreciated by lot many people and it’s amply clear from this blog. A Live telecast of his speech could have been aired and whoever is interested would watch it like the way it is done on 15th Aug. and besides a student’s life doesnt end in school. We have college students, Univ students etc. This clearly depicts certain personality of our PM that is of great concern.
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This has to be totally voluntary and schools should not be forced to screen this. 15-30 minutes for PM to speak on TV will translate to many hours of unnecessary hassles for teachers, students, parents not accounting for the money that would be wasted on such an exercise.
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The PM has full right to address the students on teachers’ day. This is very important from the point of view of national integration. It is important that the teachers donot dominate the day and become like DRONACHAARYA!
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Thanks
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2014 00:19:40 +0000
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Mr.Apooravand,
When you write “It is an extraordinary and unprecedented step in the history of school education in independent India.” it not only shows ur bias but also your lack of historical knowledge. This is not the first time nor is it going to be the last. Right from 1961 when Nehru visited bangalore for laying foundation stone for a public sector unit, school children have been made to line up along the streets with flags to welcome him much beyond school hours, the same happened much later when Mrs.Indira Gandhi visited, the story doesnt end here, even when Prince Charles visited, it was the school children who were made to stand in the sun to welcome him, even though not one of us knew who he was. So using school children is no extra ordinary or unprecendented in independent india.
As for your ” schools are being asked to spend from their own resource pool which in itself is very poor and inadequate.” Why not the schools make an issue of it and ask for the resources, it is one way of getting the audio-visual equipment for the schools which can be used for other activities too. What prevents the school authorities to say they dont have the resources to put up for this.
Finally “The Prime Minister is taking over the day, which belongs to the teaching community and pushing them off stage. The Prime Minister is not the Teacher-in-Chief of the country and he should leave the children alone.” Are you accepting that the prime minister is so powerful that he can push away every other individual off stage. If that is ur opinion im sorry to say it shows ur insecurity. Does that mean none of your students are going to wish you, does that mean just because someone has become prime minister he should not wish his teachers? Sorry maybe the people who have signed as teachers are different from the teachers who taught me. My teachers take pride in what we have achieved in life and not in we wishing them or trying to put up on stage. The last guru vandana programme we arranged for our teachers as old students, our teachers didnt claim on stage to show off themselves, but they reminded each and every one of us gathered there individually what we lacked in our student days and how they shaped us.
Any teacher worth his/her salt will not feel insecure even if god incarnate is going to take the stage leave alone a mortal prime minister, for they know well, no matter what anyone does or says, they have done their duties and their students will always recognise that and respect them all their lives and not only on teacher’s day.
Finally it is high time for intellectuals to fight on issues rather on individuals, for the prime minister’s all along have hogged the limelight on teacher’s day in the garb of presenting awards to the best teachers. The present prime minister is taking a bigger canvas and that is all the difference.
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Yes you can moderate the comments, but you can not hide truth. PM as leader of nation has right to address children. He has earnd right.
We never seens these so called intellectuals making kue and cry over Celebrating Nehur Brithday as Children Day where whole day is spent on writing easys on Nehru and his so called love for childrens
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is trying to dictate to whole of civil society. No Pm did it before him. he has right to address. fine. But he is trying todictate at gun point how everyone nust hear him. This is what is being objected to, and will be objected to.
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You have every right to object. But majority of us do not agree that Modi is trying to dictate. Fact is you people are afraid that he will win the hearts of young minds who are the future generation. You are afraid that your vote bank will be lost. That’s the truth.
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these commenting teachers (???) how do they celebrate teacher’s day. How many leave they take in a year; how many classes in a year. they have their lazy, luxurious, pampered life. so must down new initiatives of Modi govt. did they protest against “chacha” nehru? they are bickering that some time Modi is giving to students of india – does morale building has become a sin for these …. teachers.
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I think this is BJP’s strategy to catch them young, as is done by many fundamentalists elsewhere. Teacher’s Day is meant for teachers, it would have been appropriate for PM to address Teachers on this day & desirous children could watch him on TV at their homes. I think it is insult to our Great Teacher, Sarvapali Radhakrishnan.
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GURU are they who eclipse themseve to brighten the path of others; now the so called gurus want to hog the limelight–lay off the politically garbed gurus ans lay ff from signature campaigns to oblige your masters/madams.Pm is for all n give that space to him–period.
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Television or toilets for schools: What is the priority Mr. Prime Minister?
September 4, 2014 at 12:16am
Statement by Catalyst Study Circle – We are sharing this statement for collecting endorsement, please endorse !
As concerned people of this country, we find it extremely disturbing that present Central Government is setting an undemocratic precedence, which could be followed by other persons in positions of authority. Our major concerns are:-
MHRD notification (2nd page dated 27.08.2014) makes it incumbent upon all the Schools/ State/ District authorities to accede to the diktat of the Centre camouflaged as a request to “make arrangements to assemble the children from 3.00 pm to 4.45 pm” on the 5th of September, 2014 “in order that the children may view the Prime Minister’s address.”
The MHRD notification is based upon a bizarre assumption that “most schools are equipped with a TV and have electric connection”. According to DISE data 2013-14, only 52% of schools have electricity and only 23% have computers out of which only 63% are functional. Data on TV in schools is hard to find.
Consequently, contrary to the assurance from MHRD, Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi Govt and Kendriya Vidayala Sanagathan have requested for “strict compliance” of MHRD notification.
DoE states clearly “all above directions are to be complied with strictly by HOS of Govt/Govt. Aided/ Unaided/MCDs/ NDMC /Cantonment Board Schools. Any laxity in the arrangements shall be viewed seriously.”
As per the direction of Directorate of Education (DoE) funds from School Welfare Committee i.e. Vidayala Kalyan Samiti (VKS) would be diverted for this purpose.
The MHRD has also requested CISCE “to kindly instruct all the schools affiliated with CISCE to make similar arrangements.” CBSE circularfurther states, “alternate arrangement may be made in the schools for electricity through generators/Inverters.”
If it is actually implemented, in all government and government aided schools, as intended by MHRD, it would cost minimum (as a conservative estimate) Rs. 10,000 /school without TV. Thankfully, many of the State governments have refused to do so.
Assuming that minimum 10 lakhs (given that around 20% of schools have computers), out of roughly 12 lakhs, government aided and government schools do not have TV, the total expenditure, for this exercise to be successfully implemented, would be minimum 1000 crores.
This intended diversion of School Welfare Committee fund of minimum 1000 crores for telecasting PM’s speech is equivalent to the cost of one mid-day meal (at maximum Rs.10/day per children) for 100 crore children.
This would be also equivalent to 10 lakh Anganwadi toilets, each at the cost of Rs. 10,000, and 2,85,714 (or 2,59,740 in hilly areas) school toilets, each at the cost of Rs. 35,000 (or Rs. 38,500 in hilly areas). More than 10% (i.e. approximately 1,20,000 schools) of government and aided schools do not have any kind of toilets.
Television or toilets for schools: what is the priority Mr. Prime Minister?It is worth noting here that allocation of mere 0.6 % of GDP for education (i.e. the budget for MHRD) was made in last Union Budget 2014-15 presented by Mr. Arun Jaitely.
Teachers Day has been turned into Guru Utsav even if for the sake of essay competition as claimed by MHRD Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani.
This is reminiscent of feudal Gurukul system which was open for only those who underwent Upnayana, a ceremony for twice born Hindu only, a requirement in order to enter Gurukula.
Thus, Gurukula was not only a hierarchical Guru – Shishya tradition but also discriminated against and deprived all women, all transgenders, all non-Hindus and almost everyone now designated as OBC, SC and ST. The story of Eklavya is known to all.
Instead, would it not make sense if Central Government in collaboration with each of the State Governments facilitate a productive and creative intra-school and inter-schools interaction among Students, Teachers and Guardians on Teachers Day in each Block/Ward?
Shouldn’t Teachers’ day be a day when Teachers can express their grievances freely to all rather than listening to sermons of someone in position of authority?
Is it not impinging upon the rights of the States with regard to the administration of schools, especially in the backdrop of increasing demand for inclusion of Education in the ‘State’ list’?
Is this not disrespectful of both students’ and teachers’ regional and linguistic diversities?
We strongly protest against such misuse of public money on unnecessary expenditures over an undemocratic exercise and instead demand that Government come out at the earliest with a blueprint for providing quality schools to all with proper facilities and infrastructures. The expenditure on Public Education should be increased to at least 6% of GDP and 10% of Budget, from present level of less than 3.5% of GDP (including both Union and State Budget allocation on education), in order to provide free quality education to all.
For references : http://catalyststudycircle.blogspot.in/
Anyone who wants to endorse this statement can do so by commenting – your name and affiliation – n this page/pm or in the blog. Please Share (and encourage your friends to do the same) this widely so as to reach maximum number of people. Thanks.
Photo Courtesy – http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/unhygienic-toilets-cause-hardship-to-schoolchildren/article103978.ece
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Dear Mukul,
I endorse this view and would like to add the following:
Why does the PM want to speak to school children on Teachers’ day? He can address them on Children’s day. In fact, that would be more apt since it would include ‘all’ children, not just those in the schools and not just those in the second shifts of double-shifted schools.
Will anybody ‘in power’ ever speak to teachers?
The whole idea seems ridiculous and utterly unmindful of the real concerns about education. The PM , if so concerned about school children, schools and education, could visit a few govt schools randomly, in each state and look at the state these structures are in.
Suneeta Mishra, DU
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“He can address them on Children’s day” , Just hilariuous. Do you think he would care for the Childrens Day at all ? Majority of Indians of late want to celebrate Childrens Day as “Playboy” Day.
“The PM , if so concerned about school children, schools and education, could visit a few govt schools randomly, in each state and look at the state these structures are in.” DO YOU AWARE AT ALL that education is a state subject ?
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Go ahead Modi jee
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Pity on these so called intellectuals who have forgotten the very basic premise of teaching – To Learn . Prime Minister of the country surely is not going to ask for votes from children. They stand a chance to receive pearls of wisdom, vision for India , motivation to be global citizen and finally a good human being. Compare this to scores of school students standing in sun & rains for number of rallies routinely called every where in the country for illogical reasons or making them a herd to listen some stupid speech in state government sponsored programs. Children of today times are smart enough to sift trash from the grain. Let them decide ! Country can not progress if we exclude nearly 40 % of our population (Our Children) from being participative & informed segment.
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In the list of signatories the number of university teachers is high. There is Eklavya, but are any of the other signatories principals and school teachers? There is no way of telling.
I remember children and young adults who questioned the presence of nationalistic agendas, march past, drill, war, masculinities, in school curricula, while there were others who felt their necessity. Some questioned dilution of academic rigour by, what is passed off as programmes towards national integration and cultural activities, while some felt they needed encouragement.
How many schools give space for expression, discussion, dissent, moderation, rebellion, questioning, and resistance? Which school will let off a person who does not stand up during the national anthem? Students need respect, and governments and schools can give it to them by listening to what they have to say, even if it means wanting to hear, or not hear Modi, on teacher’s day.
As of now, it’s authorities that decide, not students. How can students be heard? Do we need to hear them
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Hi Teachers (and others)!
The word is “gaiety”, not “gaity”. Also, what does it mean to say that the written orders are in “vogue”? My dictionary says that to be in “vogue” is to be fashionable or stylish. Perhaps you mean that the written orders are “in effect”? I support your overall aims, though – accredited teachers should have a monopoly over misinformation!
Happy Guru Divas!
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Government orders are still in vogue and MHRD plays a drama of voluntary activity.. Though Smriti Irani justified the act questioning why a PM cannot adress the students of his country………………..There we sense an amiss in the name of the programme itself.Guru and Utsav are the fundamental terminologies of RSS..Being large democratic country why should we carry these saphronized programmes
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Note: Please correct the spelling of gaiety in the final sentence.
As my students told me in one voice when I once tried to assign work on Teacher’s Day, Teacher’s Day is a HOLIDAY.
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Thanks to those who have pointed out the errors. They have been corrected.
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Democracy, however flawed it may be, must not be perverted by this creeping dictatorship. I endorse the view elucidated above with all my heart and mind.
Schools should not be used as a medium to be seen by the people at large. Having said that, I’m sure Mr. Prime Minister is going to give yet another excellent speech strengthening his proverbial veil that shadows his fascist nature. Mr. Prime Minister, address the students and teachers on this auspicious day we observe as ‘the teachers day’ if you wish to(a national address on doordarshan should suffice).
But give us the right to not listen to you.
Extremely disturbing news coming in: a school in the national capital region is going to evaluate its students on PM’s speech.
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God knows what kind of problem is faced by the 97 signatories here with the PM speaking to school children ?
1) “It is an extraordinary and unprecedented step in the history of school education in independent India.” ~ who voted for Mr. Modi expects only extraordinary steps. There are many occasions when the PM of India to the President visited and talked to children on any occasion. Starting from so called “chacha” Nehru. ANYONE can be a teacher NOT ONLY the persons working in school to teach subjects.
2) “Not only does this order treat children as passive and captive elements who do not have a view of their own, it also violates the international convention of Child Rights which says that children have a right to form opinion and therefore they need to be asked whether they would like to be part of such an extra-school activity beyond their usual school hours” ~ what a ridiculous opinion. Who has tried to impose their opinion on any topic on the children ? I am a teacher I do not ask whether the student want to do homework. lolzz………
3) “The Prime Minister is not the Teacher-in-Chief of the country and he should leave the children alone.” (sic) ~ What is the definition of a teacher ? One may not be a teacher professionally, but does it mean he cannot teach something to children ? Every self-made person has something to teach from their life to any other person.
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Why? will the children not get bored by the rhetoric of the PM.As it is the compulsion implied in this so called voluntary listening of the PM reminds us of the Socialist society. Agreed that Nehru and Indira Gandhi did it and the children even lined up the streets to welcome prince Charles. But how this those old practices measure up in these days of internet and times when people are more aware of their rights. In the 1970’s of Indira Gandhi and earlier times of Nehru the society was not as aware and the communication revolution had not happened. Those days you could easily get the children to line up the streets (of course in a forced way)in subservience to our great leaders. It is no longer the case.
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To the moderators,
In Kafila, I often learn as much about a topic from the comments section as I do from the main article. Hence, I urge the comments section (in Kafila) to be strictly moderated. If I need to know about the views of BJP/Modi supporters, I can easily go to Firstpost etc. Actually, these right-wingers have swamped the comment sections of most online news/opinion outlets.
I too have my reservations on this published letter. But I do not feel like expressing my views in this environment. I do not want potentially constructive criticism to drown in the cacophony of mindless gibberish.
Regards.
p.s. I suspect, this huge response to apoorvanand is due to his recent appearences on TV where he has taken on the right head-on.
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I was the President of Parents Teachers Association of only Center School Shahibad Ahmadabad.which was only Center School (KENDRA VIDALALYA) with CBSE Syllabus .
We used to celebrate the 5th September every year as Teachers day. On this day all the school management was given to Students from Principal to teachers up to peon.
Students become teacher of the class and teachers students. We use to call the parents of the Students to attend the classes and ask the questions from class teacher who were the students.The exercise was going on from morning to evening from the opening of school time to close of school time. Students were use to open the school / Principal office
That is on Teachers Day on 5th September all the students become teachers and the teachers become students.Parents use to attend also to ask the questions from their own son /daughter who were the teachers of the class.BEST STUDENT TEACHER WAS GIVEN AWARDS ALSO. NOW THE POLITICIANS BECOME ——-Mr.Narendar Modi should have followed this practice of Teachers day to attend the classes as parent.But he is not having any child how he will know the problems of students. He want to give his image to small children on Teachers day 5th September which is Birth Day of Sarvepalli Our President Radha Krishna. Which now Mr.Mod using to show his image to children. From Gujarat Mr.Modi using this Teachers day to give lectures to small children / students those are future teachers. NOW MOFI IS A KING OF INDIA WHO CAN STOP HIM OF HIS ALL DESIRES TO BE FULFILLED.Mr.Narendra MODI SHOULD GO TO SOME SCHOOL AND ATTEND THE CLASSES RUN BY STUDENTS ON TEACHERS DAY. TEACHERS DAY MEANS TO MAKE STUDENTS BEST TEACHERS OF FUTURE.
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great idea for you all to be protesting this as a joint body. My mother being a teacher in a government school, i feel that teachers are the only ones left who have a genuine interest in children as individual people, and not just as a mass body which has to be cast into a rigid, preformed mold; the conditions of which are usually decided by higher authorities and management persons who have not been out in the field since a long time.
The newer generations of children are more outspoken, more self aware, and less blindly obedient than before, You as teachers accept and understand this change, and guide them accordingly and positively.
Yet I find that the same teachers, maybe bound by the rules of their own time, are mostly unable to strongly protest what they know will not be taken positively and will instill a stronger sense of rebellion in children. Also decisions made by higher up committees which are sometimes not logical or useful. Trying to follow curriculum changes of foreign schools in CBSE without considering an Indian setting and a general cross section of population here was, for example, something that needed further research.
I applaud your resourcefulness and the fact that you took a stand for what you all believe in, and i hope to see more of the same from teachers who in actuality shape the future of all our children and our nation.
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Thank you
Blog fantastic
Good luck
……………….
http://www.8ii.in
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The barrage of comments reflects perhaps how well most of us have been schooled. We have been taught not to question authority, and learnt those lessons well. So, people objecting to the PM addressing students are clearly truants who need to be put in place. So, the incessant questioning of their motives, credentials and ‘efficiency’. Clearly, unlike the PM, these folks are lazy and don’t ‘get things done’.
But- the PM is not a teacher( even super-man can’t be everything!), these folks are. And most of them understand education as a process of dialogue allowing for growth. Not as an imposition that children must endure. The objection is not to an elected leader wanting to address students…it is to the imposition. Teacher’s Day belongs to the teachers….not to elected leaders. The PM is not ‘teacher-in chief’.
Everyone seems to believe teachers can be told what to do- and how. We wouldn’t make that assumption about any other profession. It is important to recognize teachers ( at all levels) often invest a lot of themselves into the process of teaching. And, they and their students are the only ones with the right to decide what a day dedicated to them should be about.
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Modi has the lust of becoming and shadowing all the fields of society with huge effect such as Vikas Purush, Chai wala, Majdoor no. 1, kriya ki pratikriya purush, 56 inch ki chhati wale ,,, and now mahaan Guru of India …THis huge person has already eclipsed the BJP and now triying over our nation… Now its upto country dwellers to decide whether Modi is Greater than Teachers of This country….
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that is how govts endear themselves to children!! teachers must get the children to ask if nehru really loved children?
We continue to use one day in an already abridged school year to ‘cultural’ shows, painting competitions, book exhibitions and melas.
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It is an extraordinary step in the history of school education no doubt about it. There is an unnecessary stress on ‘child rights’ in this whole issue. There are many more serious issues about children in our country which requires huge attentions . Rationally speaking a child cannot form opinions or grow without such encounters. The teachers and parents must inculcatta the value of respect amongst children for nation’s prime minister irrespective of his or her political alliances.
By publishing or popularizing such kind of negative and discouraging thoughts we are making our children arrogant and destructive critic. Today is the time, we need deep thinkers and not superficially opinionated population. Let our children decide, such activities are “worth having or no”.
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Please sign, if you agree.
https://www.change.org/p/letter-of-protest-against-the-mhrd-s-diktat-coercing-schools-to-screen-the-pm-s-speech-on-teachers-day
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