Why don’t students want to be teachers anymore: Modi

New Delhi, Sep 5 :

Addressing millions of students and teachers across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Teachers’ Day address to the nation said Friday that there is need to find out why the value of a teacher has lost its sheen and why students don’t want to be teachers when they grow up.

In a first such address to the nation, the prime minister said there is a great demand for good teachers in the world, and India being a young country should be able to produce good quality teachers for the world.

“For me it is a privilege that I am able to speak to those who are the future of the country. Today is Teachers’ Day, but slowly the value of the day is lessening… There must probably be some schools where it is not observed…The day is now just focused on teachers getting awards and being felicitated, it remains that. It is necessary to highlight the value of teachers in society.”

“There is need to give more value to this important tradition, and it needs more discussion why students don’t want to be teachers. The answer to this has to be sought by all…There is a great demand for good teachers in the world, they are not available. India is a young country, why can’t we give the promise that India will provide good teachers to the world. And students should say that yes I will be a teacher.”

Play and sweat a lot, read biographies

“You should play and sweat a lot, at least four times a day. Promise you will do it,” was the exhortation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to children across the nation.

The prime minister, in a first such address to millions of students and teachers across the nation on Teachers’ Day, also exhorted students to read biographies of people and books on subjects they like.

“How many are there who sweat a lot at least four times a day in play,” Modi asked the students gathered in Maneckshaw Auditorium here, with the event being telecast to all schools in the country and live streamed.

“Till there is no play, there is no growth,” he said.

He asked the students – “How many of you play a lot and sweat four times a day?”

When most smiled and laughed saying they did not play so much, the prime minister said: “At least four times a day you should sweat a lot, promise you will do it.”

To which, the students responded with a loud “Yes”.

He also asked the students to read biographies, saying it would take them close to history.

“Please read biographies, then we will reach near to history. You can read different biographies” of people in sports, trade, films, science, he said.

“This should be our endeavour. We get information nowadays, and not gyan (knowledge),” the prime minister said.

 

 

(IANS)