Live telecast of CM’s interaction with 1.5-crore school students(video)

Ahmedabad, 5 September 2013

Gujarat Governor Dr Shrimati Kamlaji and Chief Minister Narendra Modi today presented Best Teachers’ Award to 34 teachers at the state-level function at Gandhinagar to mark the former President Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday being observed as National Teachers Day.

Both Dr Kamlaji and Mr. Modi contributed to the Gujarat State Teachers’ Welfare Fund as their respect to the teaching community.

The function concluded with Mr. Modi’s interaction with 1.50-crore students of the state, through novel question-answer session, telecast live through satellite technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Kamlaji said that teachers build the future generations, preparing the latter to face the challenges of life, contributing to the service of the society and nation. She said that teachers are the idols of the students as they alone can create illustrious sons of the soil like Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand and Rabindranath Tagore through their lectures in the classrooms. At the same time students should respect their teachers and take the nation to new height.

She said that teachers should also change their views in tune with the changing times, and incorporate excellence in teaching methods, teaching aids and experiments. She also exhorted women to bring about economic and social revolution through education. She felicitated all the award winning teachers.

The Chief Minister Narendra Modi expressed desire to expand the scope of Best Teacher’s Award and bring about qualitative changes in the felicitations and prizes given to the teachers. He also expressed desire for adding scientific aspects in the process of selecting best teachers and creating an atmosphere of respect towards the teachers within society.

“While the state government has given priority to providing quality education and successfully put in place the necessary infrastructure for it, now it is necessary that the government, teaching fraternity and society make collective efforts in this direction”, he said.

Describing the felicitation of teachers as an opportunity to repay debt towards them Mr. Modi referred the name of Dr. Radhakrishnan saying that figures like him inspire people for centuries. “Teacher’s Day is an occasion that gives one an opportunity to deliberate upon the kind of education that needs to be provided to the present and future generations”, he said.

Mr. Modi said that a teacher should be a friend of his pupil. Today when parents are living a busy life, the responsibility of teachers towards the shaping of children’s lives has become more significant. “Now, it is an era of ‘learning process’ instead of ‘teaching process’. The process of education is undergoing a drastic change. And the teachers will have to equip themselves with the changing times”, said the Chief Minister.

Speaking on the occasion Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama appealed teachers to act as mentors to their pupils, leading to a strong nation building. He exhorted teachers to emphasize an education which focuses more on creating mighty individuals instead of merely facilitating degrees.

Minister of State for Education Vasuben Trivedi, Mayor Mahendrasinh Rana, MLA Ashokbhai, Principal Secretary to Education A M Tiwari, Primary Education Director R C Rawal, educationists, officials, families of award winning teachers, school managements, society leaders and students in large number were present on the occasion.