Teachers need to be treated as valued professionals

Teachers Day is celebrated every year on September 5 to acknowledge the contribution of teachers in shaping an individual's life. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India and an exemplary teacher.

It is a known fact that when Dr Radhakrishnan became a teacher, his students and friends wanted to celebrate his birthday, but he asked them to celebrate his birthday as Teachers Day.

Guru-Shishya Parampara (Teacher-Student relationship) is an ancient Indian tradition which we have gifted to the world. In Hindu Mythology - Dronacharya-Arjun, Dronacharya and Eklavya, Dadoji Konddev and Shivaji are examples of Guru-Shishya Parampara.

Teachers play an important role in not just the development of an individual but also in the nation-building. However, there have been several instances which show teachers don't get the deserved respect these days. 

Furthermore, online tutors and e-educators get more monetary benefits than teachers.

According to a recent study, while the average annual salary for a teacher in India is Rs 2,19,804 and goes up to Rs 5,88,000 per annum; the average annual salary of an online tutor in the country is Rs 4,80,000 and goes up to Rs 9,25,000 per annum.

Teachers, across primary and high schools, need to be treated as valued professionals by students and the education sector. There is a need to provide them good working conditions, better remuneration and recognize their efforts and achievements.

They should be given ample opportunities to empower themselves by organising training and introducing short-term courses for them. This will motivate and help them respond to the changing requirements confidently.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)