If we see closely the recent issues in society we can easily observe that moral and spiritual aspects missing in today’s youth. What is that? Does someone working on this to break the nations? Does someone’s business running by doing so? Something is there, that’s for sure.
Let’s discuss today the role of Teachers in the nation.
If you want to destroy the civilization of a nation, there are 3 ways:
- Destroy their family structure – In order to destroy the family; undermine the role of Motherhood, make her feel ashamed of being a housewife.
- Destroy their education system – To destroy the education: you should give no importance to the Teacher, and lower his place in society so that the students despise him.
- Lower their role models and references – To lower the role models: you should undermine their scholars, doubt them until no one listens to them or trusts them.
It is obvious from point no. 2 that the importance of teachers was high in earlier times. If we talk about even for modern education a few countries made it a prestigious job. For example Finland, Finland went from the bottom in education. In Finland, it’s easier to become a doctor or lawyer than a teacher. They made teaching a prestigious carrier. That’s why it is said that Finland has the most efficient education system in the world.
“The teacher is a maker of man. He is the foundation of all Education, and thus of the whole civilization of mankind, present, and future. No nation reconstruction is possible without the active cooperation of the teacher.”
“The quality and competence and character of teachers to be the most significant factor influencing the quality of education and its contribution to national development.”
A nation is built by its citizens, citizens are molded by teachers, and teachers are made by teacher-educators. Chanakya has rightly stated, “Teacher is the maker of the nation”
So for the development of the country, it is very important to have good teachers and good teachers can be produced only if we have a good system of teacher education and dedicated and efficient teacher-educators. The teacher can be rightly called a nation builder. Teachers through their perseverance love and sacrifices have shown us the right path in which great men have built our nation. It is our dear teachers who mold our character, our personality and show us the right direction which leads us to our final destination.
Flourishing national development and a society truly prosperous with knowledge all begins from its teachers.
The knowledge received without a teacher’s guidance can be compared to a blind man walking without his stick. Because of this, teachers need to have a high level of commitment towards their duties and responsibilities which have been entrusted to them.
The teacher is a judge who gives marks and ratings. He differentiates children on the basis of their intellectual and often social skills in preparation for the social and occupational roles which they eventually play.
The teacher is a representative of the society that inculcates moral precepts. In the development of a country, great attention has to be paid to education and learning, as well as good morals, and nobody is more suited to assist in this process than the humble teacher.
Without teachers, both knowledge and morals would suffer.
Srila Prabhupada’s view on this subject:
Srila Prabhupada stressed that character development was an inseparable part of education. He explained that the teachers themselves should be exemplary role models to successfully impart Vedic knowledge to the students.
He wanted that the children in the movement along with learning academic subjects, should be trained in all aspects of Krsna consciousness. He stressed that this can only be accomplished if the parents and teachers are sincere devotees, following all the rules and regulations and behaving in an impeccable manner, for “children’s nature is to imitate”. (Lecture on SB 2.3.15, Los Angeles, June 1, 1972
Where is such thing as transmigration of the soul being taught in the classroom? If they simply learn to rise early, cleanse, all hygienic principles, their study will be greater than any government program. Whatever the elder members are doing, the children should do if possible. But for teaching, the teachers themselves should be fixed up initiated devotees, otherwise how the children can get the right information and example? (Letter to Aniruddha, Calcutta, March 7, 1972)
Srila Prabhupada condemned the modern education system in which teachers are appointed on the basis of their academic qualification alone.
For learning Vedic knowledge, one must approach a person who is cent percent engaged in devotional service. He must not do things that are forbidden in the śāstras. A person cannot be a teacher if he drinks or smokes. In the modern system of education, the teacher’s academic qualification is taken into consideration without evaluation of his moral life. Therefore, the result of education is the misuse of high intelligence in so many ways. (SB 1.9.26, Translation and Purport)
Not that “Professor such-and-such,” and eating meat. This is the degradation of society. He is doing the work of a brāhmaṇa—teacher means brāhmaṇa—and eating meat – Oh, horrible! (Room Conversation with Devotees, New Orleans, August 1, 1975)
The principle of teaching by example is central to the philosophy of Krsna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada expected not just teachers at school to adhere to it to educate the children, but also all preachers to follow it to be effective in conveying Vedic truths to people in general. He asserted that this would benefit both the preacher and the congregation.
So you are one of the chief men of this Institution, kindly maintain your behavior to the standard so that others will follow and the whole thing may go on nicely. It was said about Lord Caitanya: Āpani ācari Prabhu jīvere śikhāya, that is, He personally used to practice Himself the injunctions and then He used to teach others. That is our principle: Unless one is a perfectly behaved person, he cannot teach others. (Letter to Hayagriva, Madras, February 13, 1972)
If you are not ideal, then it will be useless to open center. You behave nicely, they will come, they will see, and they will learn. If you go to some school and the professors are rascals, then what you will learn? It is both, reciprocal. You shall act as professor, teachers. Your life should be ideal, and they will come and see, and they will learn. (Srimad-bhagavatam Lecture, Melbourne, May 19, 1975)
Our business is to raise ourselves to the highest status of life as preachers of Krsna’s message, and one should behave himself rigidly, then he should instruct others. Two things: Be himself exemplary, then teach others to be exemplary. If one has not come to that high standard, he cannot judge or criticize others. There is one saying from Bible: ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’ So how we can preach unless we are able to make judgements? That will not be possible. Only those who are above suspicion can judge others. (Letter, 17 December 1972, Bombay)
Our gurukula means how to teach them to become self-controlled. That is first business. This literary education secondary, grammar secondary. The first necessity is how to create them śānta, dānta, self-controlled. (Conversation, 5 January 1977, Bombay)
Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people how to go back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. That will make the people happy eternally. So in this life also, Kṛṣṇa conscious people, they are not unhappy. You can see practically. We are sitting in a very nice room and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and taking prasādam. Where is unhappiness? There is no unhappiness. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture, 29 June 1975, Denver)
Every religion as a matter of principle accepts authority, God being the supreme authority, and His representative also as authority. So we have no quarrel with any type of religion but we simply teach that awaken your dormant love of God which is technically called God consciousness or Krishna Consciousness. (Letter, 14 March 1969, Hawaii)
Every student is expected to become Acarya. Acarya means one who knows the scriptural injunctions and follows them practically in life, and teaches them to his disciples. I have given you sannyasa with the great hope that in my absence you will preach the cult thruout the world and thus become recognized by Krishna as the most sincere servant of the Lord. (Letter, 2 December 1975, New Delhi)
I must be first of all human being. Then I shall teach others how to become human being. I must become first of all devotee. Then I shall request others to become devotee. Āpani ācari jīve śikhāilā bhakti. First behave yourself perfectly; then teach others to become perfect. That is preacher. (Conversation, 22 April 1972, Japan)
One religion, this is sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), to become surrendered to God. That is religion. And they’re useless. That is our religion. We are teaching surrender to God, but they have no idea that there is God. They have forgotten that “There is God, and He can talk with me. I can talk with Him.” They cannot believe all these things. “Even if God is there, He cannot talk. He has no mouth, He has no leg.” Nirākāra, impersonal. This is their position. (Conversation, 21 January 1977, Bhuvanesvara)
So, what we have seen from both the angles of modern education and spiritual education the character of teachers is very important. That’s why it is a very prestigious job. Anybody and everybody cannot fit for this job. Does this consideration take place in India or other so-called advanced countries? NO, as I have seen many times if somebody not getting any job let’s try in the teaching field. We don’t see character and quality we just hire a lesser paid person. But this is not the way to build a strong nation. I hope the point is clear we have very few good character teachers whom real business to build the nation. Srila Prabhupada one them. He is the best teacher. He presently not available himself but his teachings do not differ from him. So choose wisely.