President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred national awards on 45 teachers from across the country at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on Teachers’ Day.
Marking the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced development and upgradation of 14,500 schools cross India under the Pradhan Mantri Schools For Rising India (PM-SHRI) Yojana. The PM-SHRI schools are to have a modern, transformational and holistic method of imparting education. Mr. Modi said PM-SHRI schools would further benefit lakhs of students across India in the spirit of National Education Policy (NEP).
The President remembered her teachers and said it was the strength of the guidance of her family and teachers that helped her to become the first daughter of her village to attend college. She said she always felt indebted to her teachers for whatever she had achieved in life.
Ms. Murmu said science, research and innovation were the basis of development in today’s knowledge economy.
Stress on mother tongue
“The development of original talent in science, literature, or the social sciences can be more effective through the mother tongue. It is our mothers who teach us the art of living in our early lives. That is why mother tongue is helpful in developing natural talent. If teachers also teach in their mother tongue, then students can develop talent with ease. That is why in the National Education Policy 2020, emphasis has been laid on the use of Indian languages for school education and higher education,’’ said the President.
Ms. Murmu urged teachers to encourage the habit of asking questions in students.
Mr. Modi interacted with the award-winning teachers and paid homage to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He underlined the importance of removing conflict and contradictions in the lives of students.
In a series of tweets on Monday, the Prime Minister said: “Today, on Teachers’ Day I am glad to announce a new initiative - the development and upgradation of 14,500 schools across India under the Pradhan Mantri Schools For Rising India (PM-SHRI) Yojana. These will become model schools which will encapsulate the full spirit of National Education Policy. The PM-SHRI schools will have a modern, transformational and holistic method of imparting education. Emphasis will be on a discovery oriented, learning centric way of teaching. Focus will also be on modern infra including latest technology, smart classrooms, sports and more.”
He added that the NEP had transformed the education sector in the recent years. “I am certain that the PM-SHRI schools will further benefit lakhs of students across India in the spirit of National Education Policy.’’
National Education Policy
Addressing the award winners, the Prime Minister highlighted the appreciation received by the National Education Policy and called it a step in right direction. Emphasising the need to go through the policy more than once, Mr. Modi gave the analogy of Mahatma Gandhi where he read the Bhagavad Gita again and again, and each time he found a new meaning. The Prime Minister stressed the need to imbibe the NEP in such a way that this government document turned into the basis of the students’ lives.
He said, “Teachers played a major role in the formulation of the policy.” He also stressed that the teachers had a monumental role to play in the implementation of the National Education Policy.
Remarking on India’s achievement of surpassing the United Kingdom to become the fifth largest economy in the world, the Prime Minister said the pleasure of surpassing those who ruled over India for approximately 250 years superseded the mere statistics of improved ranking from sixth largest to fifth largest economy.
Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi also present.
The National Awards to Teachers accords public recognition to meritorious teachers working in elementary and secondary schools. For the award this year, 45 teachers from across the country have been selected through a rigorous and transparent online three-stage process, said a release issued by the Central government.
