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No celebration to mark World Teachers Day
Oct 5: World Teachers Day is being celebrated across globe today (October 5), by the
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) that
marked this day some 41 years ago. The day defines their responsibilities and
asserts their rights. Unfortunately, however, in our country and especially in
the city, the day is not being celebrated officially. In fact, the education
department remains ignorant that today is World Teachers Day.
As such,
no celebrations like organising programmes or seminar have been held in the
city. If anything, teachers have been always asked by the authorities to visit
to educational institutions and interact with teachers, parents and students.
"No official notification has been issued from the government department
for holding the day. It could be because of Ramazan," said Rafiq Siddiqui,
director of colleges. Besides government functions, no private school or college
organisations have arranged programmes for this day.
This ignorance on
the part of education departments, both private and government, shows how
concerned the authorities are about maintaining the status of teachers and
recognising their importance.
Not altogether surprising was the fact
that no teacher's organisation in the city issued any statement taking note of
the World Teachers Day. Unlike Fathers Day, Mothers Day or Valentine's Day,
which are commercial propositions, there have been no newspaper advertisements,
not even lip service in this case.
This changing trend where
commercialisation has dominated educational institutions has given rise to many
questions: for example, are respect, honour and values diminishing in our
society?
Siddiqui, emphatically said that
focus should be on the teaching conditions and teachers should raise their voice
in this regard. Quality education for all cannot be achieved without improving
the working conditions first.
The co-operative teachers, who were laid
off from the colleges, after the appointment of interns under the prime minister
programme, were critical of the situation.
"The day provides the perfect
opportunity for teachers unions and education supporters to lobby their
governments to release the necessary financial and human resources for quality
education for all," said Kunwal an affected teacher of Government College
Landhi, Industrial Area.
She also said that equal rights for women
teachers are overlooked. Teachers fail to receive proper training on issues such
as protecting themselves from growing violence in educational institutions.
Besides, no health care policy has been announced for teachers to date.
She argued that it was because people have no respect for teachers,
which is why no one wants to celebrate or acknowledge the day. The News
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