The genesis of the “Teacher Day” dates back
to October 5, 1966, when a special intergovernmental conference adopted the
UNESCO recommendations concerning the Status of Teachers, in Paris, France. Nearly
after 3 decades, on October 5, 1994, the first World Teachers’ Day was
observed. The event has gradually picked
up its momentum based on its degree of societal influence and mutated into an international
annual episode of educational festivity since then.
Today, it is observed in almost all the
nations across the world, to either, highlight the staunch educational figure of
the nation or to commemorate a pulsating milestone that captured the DNA of the
nation’s educational endeavour.
In Bhutan, the Teachers’ Day is observed
annually on the 2nd of May, to pay our humble tribute to His Late Majesty the 3rd
King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who is popularly revered as the “Father of Modern Bhutan”.
On this
same day, His Majesty was born in the modest two-storey building of the Thruepang Palace in Trongsa in 1928. His
Majesty the 3rd Druk Gyalpo
has opened the door to the world by introducing modern education (English
as the instructional medium) after a long period of intended isolation that
secured the country independence throughout history. And if today, Bhutan is proud of her sovereignty and
educational triumph, the credit certainly goes to Late Majesty King Jigme Dorji
Wangchuck.
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| 3rd King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck with his son, 4th King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (Photo Courtesy: Click LINK) |
The day is also commemorated as Teachers’
Day. On the joyous occasion of this affair, the nation draws together to honour
the spectacular contributions made by the teachers in educating the gems of the
nation’s future, the youth, and picture the lasting ripples they create in the ocean
of children’s life. Students take primary roles in running the errands of the
day with great festivities, composed of traditional and cultural dances,
gratitude and appreciation speeches and much more.
But more than that, as a majority of us fails
to do, Teachers’ Day is a precise moment for us (parents in particular) to
reflect the denseness of this so-called noble profession. It is the day to reflect
that educating our children is a shared responsibility. We have to erase that
conventional thinking that, educating our child is wholly the duty of teachers,
simply because the child spends 9 months in the school.
Educating our children
should be a shared responsibility for both parents and teachers in the ratio of
50 over 50. Instead of accusing teachers of our child’s poor performance, we
have to in unison, find solutions to make the situations better.
We should not
forget that teachers are also NOT immune to some unfair criticisms and that, they
are also a mortal machine-like anyone of us, made of flesh and blood. Teachers do
not possess any magical wand to create a fairy-tale overnight on our child’s
performance because they do not give them the fish, rather they educate them
with the skills to fish for their whole lifetime. And to observe and realize those
fishing skills, one has to patiently wait for some years. Teachers come in various
shapes and sizes, capacity and calibre. Not all can influence our children to
the same degree but, they certainly can influence in their own calibre and
pace.
I am grateful to my teachers for what I am
today. They were the beacon of my inspiration and the engine of my success. I thank
them for providing the right light into the darkest tunnel of my life. Whatever
accomplishments I achieved today is in fact truly the manifestation of their hard
work and energy. And gracefully, with their prayers intact, I have completed my
postgraduate degree without sustaining any professional injuries.
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| My thesis titled: "Development of a Guided Inquiry Laboratory to Enhance Students' Understanding of Law of Mechanical Energy Conservation" |
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence
stops” – Henry Brooks Adams
