'Anti-social behaviour overtaking commercialism'

New Delhi, Sep 4: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today regretted that crass commercialism and anti-social behaviour was overtaking ''our educational institutions''- on the eve of Teachers' Day being celebrated under the shadow of the murder of a professor in Ujjain last week.

Dr Singh met the National Awardee teachers, who called on him at his official residence at 7 Race Course Road here.

Besides, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Tamil Nadu Governor S S Barnala and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Gujarat Governor Nawal Kishore and Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeswar also conveyed their warm greetings and best wishes to teachers on the eve of Teachers' Day celebrations.

Dr Singh said he was ''deeply pained'' by the death of a professor in Ujjain at the hands of unruly students and some anti-social elements who pretended to be students.

''I urge every parent in our country to teach their children the value of the idea of ''Acharya Devo Bhava'' (teacher is God).

Conveying his felicitations to each of those who were chosen for the best teacher award from Andhra Pradesh this year, Mr Reddy, in a message, said, ''Teaching is a noble profession and a teacher is adored as a torch-bearer for society since times immemorial in our country.'' On this occasion teachers as well as students should rededicate themselves to work hard with best standards in pursuit of knowledge, so that every student emerges as a role model citizen with a strong national character, he added.

Capt Singh urged the teachers to make efforts to infuse the noble qualities of discipline, righteousness, truthfulness, sense of integrity, high character and dedication amongst the students, besides imparting them value-based education. In a message on the occasion, which coincides with the birth anniversary of former President Dr Sarvpalli Radha Krishnan, he said after the mother, it is the teacher who leaves an indelible impression on the mind of a child that could never be wiped out with the passage of time.

The chief minister assured the teachers that the State Government was making concerted efforts to create a congenial atmosphere to enable them to discharge their duties in an efficacious manner. He also appealed the members of the society to pay due regards and recognition to the teachers as they perform a sagacious duty in shaping the destiny of our posterity.

Offering his warm felicitations to the teaching fraternity, Mr Barnala, in a message, called upon teachers to rededicate themselves to the nobler ideals of the teaching profession and deliver quality and need based education with a commitment to update knowledge and use of technology to make education meaningful.

''The society and the nation expects the teachers to be role models and the teachers had the skill to shape the personality of students, the citizens of tomorrow,'' he said.

He wished the teachers a bright and prosperious future.

In his message, Mr Karunanidhi said not only the society and the country, but also the country's future was on teachers.

After the DMK came to power, the system of employing teachers on contract basis was abolished and the newly recruited teachers were put on regular pay scales, involving a total expenditure of Rs 400 crore. It was also decided to recruit 20,000 new teachers during this year.

The Chief Minister called upon the teachers to take a pledge to achieve 100 per cent literacy, provide quality education and shape the children to grow without realising the caste and religious differences. Conveying his greetings, Mr Karunanidhi congratulated the teachers who won this year's best teachers award.

Teachers' Day is celebrated on September 5 every year to mark the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakhrishnan, a philosopher and a teacher par excellence.

UNI

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