President to be a teacher for one day

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Aug 25 2015 | 5:32 PM IST
Students of XI and XII standard of a Delhi school will have a special class on September 4, the eve of 'Teachers' Day'. They will get lessons from none other than President Pranab Mukherjee.
Mukherjee will be holding a joint class for class XI and XII students of Dr Rajendra Prasad Sarvodhya Vidhalaya at the school which is located in the Presidential Estate.
The students will assemble on the 'Knowledge floor' and listen to their new teacher. Later, the President will address nearly 100 teachers also.
This idea was given by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to the President, who liked it and gave his consent for the same.
Mukherjee's focus has been on providing quality education and in his address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day earlier this month, he had had laid special emphasis on "guru-shishya" (Teacher-Student) relation.
"...What has happened to quality (education), from base to apex? We recall the guru-shishya parampara with legitimate pride; why then have we abandoned the care, devotion and commitment that is at the heart of this relationship?" he had asked.
He believes that a teacher is like a potter, who, with his soft and skillful hands, moulds the destiny of the student and the society should recognise and find merit and scholarship of the teacher.
"Is that happening in our education system today? Students, teachers and authorities must pause and introspect," he had said in his address.
The President was requested by the Delhi Government under its prestigious programme 'Be a Teacher' in which renowned personalities from different walks of life like art, culture, sports, business, politics and civil services take class for students and inspire kids to achieve excellence in life.
While this is for the first time that any President will don a cap of a teacher on a 'Teachers Day', on earlier occasions Mukherjee and his predecessor A P J Abdul Kalam have been meeting and interacting with students.
September 5 is celebrated as Teachers Day in memory of birth anniversary of former President S Radhakrishnan.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Aug 25 2015 | 5:32 PM IST

Next Story