“In the actual sense, the so called teachers that we have in our schools and colleges should not be called teachers. This is because teachers are those who are the real givers of original ideas and thoughts. Dr. Radhakrishnan can be regarded as a real teacher because he was the person who exposed to the world the hidden thoughts and original ideas as a teacher should do. So, in the common sense, we can say that teachers are communicators of ideas and thoughts.
Earlier, in most advanced countries, like doctors have the Hippocratic Oath, or lawyers, MLAs or elected members have an oath, teachers used to have an oath to some code of ethics.
These days, teachers are making lifes and that is the reason why students, despite having a high degree of education, or securing 1st division, or high achievements, they become addicts or unemployed. The main reason is the absence of ethical teaching. So I would expect that teachers are bound to some ethical code of conduct along with the educational teaching.
During my college or high school days, the influence of teachers on us was less. But when I was in primary or middle school, the teachers were admired greatly because of the way they were punctual, the way they taught us with a real personal interest, even coming to our homes to check whether we had done our homework. So the teachers whom I greatly respected were the teachers in my primary and middle schools. And those were the teachers who had real concern for us and who encouraged us.
Some of those teachers I admired were Late Pangikala, Late Pongentula, Arenkana, Remasangba and others – they were the ones who really encouraged me and motivated me to be a teacher.
Teaching is a profession; it is not an occupation or a job. Now when we say profession, one cannot do anything except that which has been learnt. Now the study of engineering is a professional study – because of engineering studies they are only qualified for that field. They cannot do other things. Since it is a professional study, they are bound to do that. In the same way, teaching is a profession, which means teachers are not supposed to do other things except to teach and be committed to teaching.
However, these days in our society many teachers take teaching as a job, a vocation, or as an occupation just to solve the employment problem.
Today, the education policies and text books are being changed. But we need to remember that it is not the syllabus, the curriculum, the schools, the policy, or the system, but it is the influence of the teacher upon the students for the upliftment of the educational service. It is the teachers that influence the young people. So I would wish that teachers take teaching as a profession.
The writer is Principal, Sao Chang College, Tuensang
