“Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, that art of living well,” the Greek philosopher Aristotle once famously said. Teachers are the pillars of a society, the bedrock of any civilized nation and the base of any welfare state. Any nation willing to express itself does so by the work of great teachers.
The ancient Greece excelled because they had excellent teachers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. The Islamic civilization also produced doyen linguists, doctors, engineers, mathematicians, scientist and above all teachers. Abu al-qasim al-Zawrawi also known as Abulcasis has been called the “Father of modern surgery” and the ‘Father of operative surgery”. Al-hazen is considered the “Father of modern optics” and the “Father of physiological optics” was also renowned for his teaching skills. Al-Khawarizmi is known as the most renowned mathematician of his time. Also known as the “Father of algebra” Solomon Gandz states that in a sense, Khwarizmi is more entitled to be called “the father of algebra” than Diophantus because Khwarizmi is the first to teach algebra in an elementary form and for its own sake, Diophantus is primarily concerned with the theory of numbers. Ibn Khaldun is regarded by many as the father of sociology, historiography and modern economics. He is best known for his Muqaddimah. The treatise of Rhazes on Diseases in Children has led many to consider him the “father of pediatrics”. He has also been praised as the “real founder of clinical medicine in Islam”.
- Thus it is clearly proven beyond doubt that for a society to progress it is not just military prowess that comes in to the picture but also the intellectual pool and a galaxy of dedicated teachers. History is witness to the fact those nations where teachers are given respect propel themselves towards the path of development and prosperity. A nation where teachers are not given respect, loathed or are underpaid can never think to walk on the path of development and prosperity. China, USA, Japan, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Germany or France progressed because teachers are respected and handsomely paid in these countries.
- It is natural for a human being to demand a salary or remuneration for a job that he/she does. Nobody wants to work for free nor are there any free lunches. Everybody has to sweat it out during daytime to make both ends meet. Be it a doctor, engineer or for that matter a laborer working in the fields. Every employee gets tremendous satisfaction when he is rewarded suitably for a job where he exerts himself fully. A teacher exerts himself in the classroom, teaches students about the various aspects of the life, and builds the career of his /her students, works as a navigator helping students to ship across the rough currents of life. A teacher must thus be rewarded suitably for the job.
- Coming to Kashmir, the private schools are doing a tremendous job in spreading education. At a time when the government schools are showing dismal performance in the education sector, it is such a soothing feeling that the private schools are faring well in almost all the examinations.
A private school teacher exerts himself in the classroom at a time when the majority of the government teachers idle away their days at various government run schools of the valley. In some schools the private school teachers deliver 7-9 lectures in a day teaching students various subjects and inculcating in them a gentlemanly demeanor and a sense of camaraderie. Despite the hard toil, a vast majority of the teachers in private schools of the valley are underpaid leaving many to switch over to business and other jobs leaving the noble profession of teaching.
Many people are raising this question that why the private schools are not getting good teachers. Nobody asks the reason why teachers are leaving private schools to start their own business.
- •At a certain school in an uptown area of Srinagar teachers recently protested against the management for paying them less than the promised salary. And when they were asked what the promised salary was, shocking revelations came out. A teacher with a Masters in English literature was being paid a paltry Rs 4500 where as a general line teacher with a Bachelor’s in Education was being paid Rs 3000. The agitating teachers revealed that after the tiresome schedule of seven lectures, the teachers had to work in the office as well. Shockingly, when the time for the salary came the management paid them just half of the promised salary.
- At a time of massive inflation when a kilogram of onion is sold @ Rs. 70 per kilogram, how would a teacher make both ends meet with a paltry salary of Rs 3000-4000? There is a serious problem of unemployment in the valley. Youth think teaching in schools would help them earn respect and reputation in the society, but with a vast majority being grossly underpaid, many prospective teachers are thinking whether to go for teaching or not.
- At a time when a police constable is drawing a handsome salary of around Rs 20000-25000, a private school teacher draws home peanuts. The state government cannot watch the happenings from the safety of the shore. Time has come for the state government to jump in and regulate the affairs of the private schools. Let there be a minimum salary for teachers as per their qualification. At a time when we are increasingly keen to propel our state towards the path of development, why we are oblivious to the abjectly underpaid private school teachers.
- The commercialization of education has wreaked havoc with the ethos of teaching and the management of the schools sees teachers as nothing more than mere commodities. Time has come to show serious concern for the private school teachers.