EARTH NEWS SERVICE |
Srinagar, Dec 10 |15: Calling upon the teachers to join hands for changing the system of education, Minister of Education, Naeem Akhtar, said Thursday the teacher fraternity should become guardians of over 17 lakh students enrolled in the government-run schools of J&K. “We were the source of knowledge but we fell on bad times. At one level, we stopped growing; we stopped looking outwards. At another level, we stopped interacting with the world of knowledge around us. Time has come to catch up with the academic world around us,” Akhtar said. “Now is a time not to mourn the loss, but to do something that helps us catch up and have our own tryst with destiny,” he added. The Education Minister was speaking at the opening ceremony of ‘Lakhon Main Ek’ initiative started by the Directorate of School Education in collaboration with Pratham Educational Foundation at SP Higher Secondary School here. Terming the initiative as a defining moment for the state, Akhtar said the erosion of competencies in the teacher fraternity due to political turmoil should be reversed. “This initiative should take the state to the next level of knowledge, learning and adopting teaching methods that are being practiced in other parts of the world,” he said. Regretting the violent events of the last two decades, Mr Akhtar said J&K has missed the exciting social and cultural processes, including economic liberalization that swept the country during that time. “We have to make a difference now. The only way of building a strong foundation of a vibrant society is by strengthening the quality of education. Nothing else can change unless we address the fundamental issues in the education system,” he said. The Minister said the Department of Education has embarked on a mission to change the system. “But I can’t do it alone. It is the responsibility of teachers. We are running short of time and we should seek help from everyone around us,” he said.
