New Delhi: Stating that teachers were critical to the success of children and for imparting quality education, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the key to the educational reforms lies in empowerment of teachers by offering them opportunity in the decision-making process.
Paying homage to the great teacher, philosopher, educationist and former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on the eve of his birth anniversary which is celebrated as Teachers’ Day, Dr Singh said education provided skills and competence necessary for economic development.
Addressing ‘Teacher Awardees’, he said, education also empowered citizens to fully participate in the political processes and imparted values that foster social cohesion and national unity.
“A well educated population, is essential for the economic and social progress of any country,” the Prime Minister remarked.
The teachers should be integral part of policy-making, governance and management and the instructional strategies, he felt. The country looked at the teachers for guiding children in their quest for knowledge and truth.
“Through you, we aspire to build in our children a commitment to the values of democracy, and the values of equality, social justice, freedom, secularism, and respect for human dignity,” he said. The children should also develop a sensitivity to the well-being and feelings of others. (UNI)
