✒️:. Arshid Aziz

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There is a beautiful Chinese proverb: “If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; but if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.” Truly, education is the seed that blossoms into the future of a nation. Nelson Mandela echoed the same wisdom when he declared, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

But who shapes this weapon? Who transforms education into light, wisdom, and guidance? It is none other than the Teacher—the silent architect of society, the guiding star in our lives, the sculptor who chisels raw stones into statues of perfection.

The Significance of Teachers’ Day

To honor this noble profession, Teachers’ Day is celebrated in many countries on 5th October. In India, it is marked on 5th September, in remembrance of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan—a great teacher, philosopher, and former President of India. On this day, students recall with gratitude the efforts of teachers who educated, enlightened, and inspired them to embrace life’s challenges.

A teacher is not just an instructor but a dream awakener, a character builder, and a social engineer. Teaching is not a mere occupation; it is a sacred calling, demanding patience, passion, and perseverance.

Teachers in Islam

Islam places teachers on a lofty pedestal. Teaching was the mission of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), who said: “I have been sent only as a teacher.”

The Quran reminds us:
“Just as We have sent among you a Messenger from yourselves, reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom, and teaching you that which you did not know.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 151)

The Prophet (ﷺ) further proclaimed: “Allah, His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its hole and the fish in the sea pray for the one who teaches people what is good.” (Tirmidhi)

What greater honor could there be than this—that the entire creation invokes blessings for a teacher!

Respect for Teachers Around the World

The dignity of teachers reflects the values of a nation.

• In Finland, teachers are selected from the top 10% of graduates, and every teacher holds a Master’s degree. They are trusted as much as doctors and lawyers, and the result is one of the world’s best education systems.
• In Japan, teachers are revered as Sensei, a title of deep respect.
• In China, a teacher is considered the “engineer of the human soul.”
• In Germany, teachers enjoy high professional status with some of the best salaries in Europe.

Nations that honor their teachers, honor their future.

The Silent Struggles of Private Teachers in Kashmir

Tragically, in Kashmir, the sanctity of this noble profession is overshadowed by a harsh divide between government teachers and private teachers. The very word “private” has been unjustly burdened with a sense of lesser dignity.

Private teachers are like candles—burning in silence, giving light to others while consuming themselves. They endure meager wages, unrecognized sacrifices, and silent exploitation. Their families await a better tomorrow, but their dedication to nurturing young minds never fades.

To belittle them is to wound the very spirit of knowledge itself.

A Call for Justice and Recognition

It is time for the government and policymakers to recognize the plight of private teachers.

• Let their dignity be restored.
• Let their wages be fair.
• Let their sacrifices be acknowledged.

Private school owners must stop treating teachers as mere laborers. If teachers are indeed the builders of nations, then every builder deserves equal honor.

Conclusion

On this Teachers’ Day, let us pledge as a society:

• No teacher’s hand should remain empty.
• No teacher’s heart should remain broken.
• No teacher’s service should remain unrecognized.

The day we rise above shallow distinctions between government and private teachers, the day we see every teacher as a sun that scatters darkness, a shepherd guiding the lost flock, and a sculptor shaping the future of nations—that day, education will shine in its purest glory.

Happy Teachers’ Day!

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