Mangaluru: Students should have Intelligent, Emotional and Spiritual Quotient – Minister Khader on Teachers’ Day

Mangaluru: Students should have Intelligent, Emotional and Spiritual Quotient – Minister Khader on Teachers’ Day

Mangaluru: DK Zilla Panchayat Public Education Department in association with the Teacher’s day celebration committee South Zone, organized “Guruvandana” at St Sebastian Platinum Jubilee hall, Bendur here on September 5.

The programme began with an invocation. Secretary of Teachers day celebration committee M P Jnanesh welcomed the gathering.

The programme was inaugurated by the Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries on the dais.

Addressing the gathering, U T Khader congratulated the teachers and said that teachers play a vital role in molding the students to be future leaders. He further said, “If I am standing in front of you and delivering this speech today without fear, it is because of my teachers. Teachers are the pillars who strengthen the students to become assets of the country. Teachers should deliver value based education. Just because a student has good IQ, that does not make him successful in life. For any student to be successful, he should inculcate Emotional Quotient too. Whether a doctor, an engineer or in any other field, he should understand people and their problems. Along with IQ and EQ, we need SQ (Spiritual Quotient) too. If anyone has Spiritual Quotient, then he will grow with fear of God.”

While concluding, Khader said that there are ups and downs in every field. “The government has implemented medical insurance for the government teachers, but in coming days, we will also provide this scheme to teachers of private schools. We are waiting for the permission from the Education Department for this.”

MLA J R Lobo was felicitated for being appointed as Chairman of the Backward Class and Minority Welfare State Legislative Committee. Addressing the gathering, MLA Lobo said, “I started my career as a teacher. After serving for sometime, I joined the government office. I have received this honour as a former teacher; I thank all of you for the honour because of your blessings and support, I have been able to reach this height. I thank all my teachers on this day.”

He further said that in every student’s life, teachers should play a vital role. In this modern world, it is very difficult to deliver value based education. “In olden days, we used to get quality education, parents were taking special care and they were helping their children to study well. Now, the times have changed. When the children go out from the school, they learn all the wrong habits. Parents go to work and they do not get the time to take care of their children. When the parents are busy, children do not get proper guidance. At that time, it is the duty of the teachers to guide the students in a proper path, because in this modern world most of the children are addicted to modern gadgets. Some students get addicted to drugs and spoil their lives. We are approaching a materialistic world and values are decreasing. Teachers are the ambassadors of God, because teachers transform the students. Dr A PJ Abdul Kalam until his last breath with the students. Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishna and Dr Abdul Kalam are the two people who thought of how teachers and students should be. We are all indebted to our teachers because they are the ones who correct us and teach us human values. It is our duty to respect teachers as we respect our parents. We have to give importance to human resource development. The problems of the teachers should be solved; if teachers are satisfied, all the problems will be solved.”

Retired Principal St Philomena College Puttur Fr Francis Xavier Gomes speaking on the occasion said that a teacher should be a mentor. “Teachers should be facilitators, guide or a mother. When the parents are busy in their work, the students do not get attention and they will be in depression. According to surveys, pediatricians are in great demand nowadays because children are suffering from one or the other disease. The reason is either the school or home environment. So teachers should adopt the child and be their mothers. When a student is in depression, the teacher should be the mentor. Many teachers only love toppers but we do not need toppers. We need achievers and most of the achievers are not toppers. If the toppers are your loved ones, what about the other students? Give importance to the last bench students and show your concern. Many students who have pursued their education in St Philomena College were not toppers, but today they are achievers. The teachers should change their mindset in this regard. All the students have talents, potential and capacity but only the duty and efforts of the teacher can make this a reality.”

“In 1990, exams would have 5 questions to answer out of 10. In 1995, there were only 5 questions. In 2010, the exams had to be answered online. In 2015, the exam became paperless and in the future, there won’t be any teachers. Now, it is in your hand since nowadays students do not need teachers. We have to teach students to take right decisions; for the 12 to 16 years students, teachers should teach them what is good and the bad, since only teachers can mold the students in the right direction. Children are not serious about their lives. When some parents do not take responsibility of their children, it is the duty of the teachers to correct their students.” He also urged the teachers to understand the teaching methods because today’s students are more knowledgeable than the teachers. “It is a competitive world. Teach them to face the society, identify their talents and support them.”

While concluding, Fr Gomes said, “When work is pleasure, life is joy! When work is duty, life is slavery. Success is not final, failure is not fatal but fortune favours the brave. Have open culture, treat every student equally and do not adopt a restricted culture. If teachers have the motivation to make every student an engineer or a doctor, the world will be a better place to live in.”

Parish priest of St Sebastian Parish Fr Antony Serrao, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel also spoke on the occasion. Retired teachers were also felicitated on the occasion. Corporator Sabitha Misquith, President Teachers day celebration committee Dr M S Rajanna, Satish Kumpala, Girija Bhai, Donald Lobo, Sr Cecilia, P D Shetty and others were also present.