TEACHERS’ DAY

The whole of human civilization pivots around continued passage of knowledge accumulated thus far and generation of new knowledge henceforth. This unique ability to share and pass on our experiences, knowledge and wisdom gained collectively as a species has been key to our survival and dominance as a species on this planet. It serves as the foundation of our civilization, culture, arts, sciences and every other human creation – physical or abstract. At the very heart of this massive exercise is education. Although education today may be formalized to the walls of schools, colleges and universities and the various courses they teach and the qualifications they award, it essentially is a temple of learning where tremendous amounts of knowledge is disseminated. But most important of all, these institutions are supposed to lay the foundation for life-long learning and continued education. No wonder then that it has now become customary for all young ones of the species Homo sapiens sapiens to attend several years of formal education at school, college and then university until their early years of adulthood in the hope that this mantle of knowledge may be passed on successfully to another generation and the future of mankind (and womankind alike) be safeguarded. At the very heart of this practice are the teachers who are the custodians of all of our sacred knowledge.

Teachers, therefore, hold a very special role and position in human society. Long exalted as the noble profession, teaching is undoubtedly one of the toughest jobs on the planet as it entrusts an individual with the responsibility and ability of a young mind. For me the most powerful men and women are not the ones holding political offices or managing large corporation and financial institutions or conducting ground breaking scientific research - the most powerful individuals on this planet are the TEACHERS! They educate and nurture all the young minds who have the potential to become prominent figures in society in the future. Teachers possess a unique insight in the workings of a young mind and have the moral obligation to correct them during their most formative years. Children are an impressionable lot and it has often been noted that they religiously listen to and follow what their teachers say and do. A math sum even if incorrectly done by a teacher at school would be fiercely defended by his/her student back at home when a parent with a doctorate tries correcting it. Countless successful individuals will often quote their teachers as one of the most inspiring figures in their life. So the power entrusted in a teacher is beyond words can ever express or the mind can possibly comprehend. A teacher himself/herself may never realize how much influence he/she has had on the shaping of countless young minds and as a consequence the whole of human society and history.

Teachers are the ones who are always supposed to be punctual allowing the ring of a bell dictate their daily schedule. They work day in day out trying to set the best of examples to their pupils while teaching them in classrooms and outside. Teachers try to learn as much about their subject as possible so that their students may never be left out. Teachers spend their valuable time at home, time meant for their families, correcting our work and trying hard to identify and correct our weaknesses – which we often mistake as them being mean to us when we see our essays scrawled in red ink. They try to teach us the ways of the world within the safe, protective gates of the school so that one day we may be ready to face the harsh world. They try and inculcate the correct values in us so that we may be respected by our peers and society. However, teachers are not flawless, they are just as human as any one of us. But teachers sure are as close to an angel as a human can possibly get.

I personally attribute whatever little I have achieved so far and whatever I may accomplish in the future to the hard work of countless teachers who touched my life and molded me into the person that I am today. My very first teachers of course are my parents although they may not be so by profession. So as we celebrate Teachers’ Day in Bhutan on the birth anniversary of our beloved Third Druk Gyalpo today, I wish all the teachers of Bhutan a very HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY!