ISLAMABAD - Teachers are deemed as nation builders and are glorified as spiritual parents. This profession has occupied a status of such an industry, which is not only the fountainhead of all human traits but encompasses the whole life of man too. Obviously, the nations are laurelled with sublimity due to veneration of their teachers.
While addressing to the walk, conducted collaboratively by Ghazali Education Trust and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), renowned poet and writer Prof Anwar Masood expressed his feelings.
Students, teachers from various institutions, civil society members and a large number of people from diversified folks of life including social and educational field, participated the walk held to mark World Teachers’ Day.
Participants of the walk starting from China Chowk to the Parade Ground were holding placards and banners, having slogan of teacher’s veneration and reverence to the participants. It was urged to evoke the role and significance of the teachers by furnishing them with such privilege and facilities as are restricted to the aristocracy and bureaucracy only but they must be encouraged by confessing their valuable services on federal, provincial and district levels.
Acme and zenith of the nation is always concealed in the reverence of the teachers. The nation suffers from delineation by diminishing the respect of the teacher. Teacher is that specific entity to produce efficient and civil pupils and patriotic generations as well. Prof. Anwar Masood, Paying homage to the role of the teachers, expressed that a considerable number of this profession, belongs to an economic strained and middle class. So, it’s the duty of the government to manage their problems and generalize a policy to augment their dignity.
Director UNESCO Dr Kozue Kay Nagata, ex-Member National Assembly Mian Muhammad Aslam and Manager Ghazali Education Trust Abdus Salam reiterated that teachers were the mirrors of educational institutions and non-availability of resources and economic instability were the crucial problems of the teachers. It is an obligatory duty, rests upon the government, to care their services structure and enhance it upon excellent standards.
The participants of the walk, for the safeguard of teacher’s services, increments in their salaries and promotion demanded to organise a commission to chalk out a concert policy. ‘Teachers should be inducting on permanent basis. Professional training courses should conduct at a large scale, to promote the literacy rate; teachers should be kept in priority for the assistance in the projects launched. Teachers should be given better grade according to their skills and qualification. The skill of technical training should be given to the teachers, so that new generation could be trained by technical hands and along with curricular studies that could play a significant role in nation economic development’.
Accommodation should be provided to the teachers and the government owns the responsibility of teacher’s children education and medical expenses. Special priorities should be conferred to distinguish them from the other folks of society. If the government succeeds to resolve the anxieties, they would perform their responsibilities zealously.  It was collectively emphasised, if the governing bodies of the nation admit the significance of the teachers, they, evidently, will enkindle the light of knowledge and learning which will direct the nation to see beyond the horizon of prosperity and development.
Meanwhile, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) celebrated World Teachers’ Day with fervor and enthusiasm.
The day is known in Pakistan as Salam Teachers’ Day and it is an opportunity to recognise the vital contribution that teachers make to Pakistan’s development and appreciate the work done by teachers everywhere, every day.
As a part of this year’s celebration, USAID, through its Teacher Education project, has launched a media campaign called ‘Ustad, Ujaloon kai Ameen’ that pays respect and tribute to teachers and the education community for their selfless role in nation building.
“The US Government, through USAID, is helping Pakistan’s children and young people lead successful lives by enhancing their access to a high-quality education. Giving teachers the tools they need to be successful in the classroom has been one of USAID’s main objectives. In collaboration with universities and teacher training colleges, the United States is helping Pakistan revolutionise the way it trains its teachers,” said Jo Lesser-Oltheten, Director Office of Education at USAID.
The Teacher Education programme helps improve and modernize pre-service teacher education and training systems. The program provides international staff for teacher training institutions, forges linkages between Pakistani and U.S. universities, builds state-of-the-art facilities, and helps develop syllabi and teaching guides.
Meanwhile, Teachers in Pakistan deserve our respect and gratitude. Each day 1.3 million Pakistani teachers travel long distances to teach 3.7 million students in government schools, be it primary, secondary or high schools. Informed Director United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Dan Rohrman who was speaking at an event to mark World Teachers’ Day.  Resonating with the sentiments of Rohrman, Deputy head of  International Labour Organisation ( ILO) , Margaret Reade, added that ‘we need to be aware, to be educated and to learn to understand and grow into the kind of people that can access and promote decent work’.
The United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Islamabad had organized the event to marked the day Friday with a slogan, “ Take a stand for teachers! “. During the events organized in Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar, UNESCO urged the government and society to stand and support teachers for their continuous development, professional competencies and lifelong learning; bringing social, economic and intellectual development to the nation.
“The slogan of “Take a stand for teachers” reminds us of our collective responsibility to recognize and appreciate the role and contribution of teachers to shape our society and social dynamism”, said Kozue Kay Nagata, Director/ Representative of UNESCO, Islamabad during an event organized in Islamabad at a local college, where dignitaries from Ministry of Education and Technical , and Ministry of Capital Administration and Development ( CAD) representatives of teachers unions, formal education teachers as well as non-formal education teachers were also present.
Paying homage to teachers Ms. Nagata while addressing to teachers and educationists said, “ teachers must be rewarded and compensated properly for their hard work, and as UNESCO we affirm our role in supporting and advocating for teacher’s status enshrined in the ILO/ UNESCO Recommendations of 1966 and 1997 concerning the Status of Teachers”.
Director UNESCO and UNICEF both stressed on the need of realising the Fundamental Right of all Pakistani Children to Free and Compulsory Education, as guaranteed in Article 25-A of the 18th Amendment of Constitution of Pakistan; for which trained and professional teachers is a pre-requisite.
Meanwhile, a seminar was also held to mark the day organised by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and National Commission for Human Development (NCHD). Speaking at the occasion Khusroe Parvaiz, the Director General of NCHD said those successful nations, societies and individuals have reached heights of progress due to the efforts of their teachers. World Teachers’ Day is being celebrated in all parts of the country including troubled regions such as Swat and South Waziristan so as to promote the positive role of teachers. He said in developed societies the role of teachers is very different to that in the less developed nations for which we need to work to reduce this inequality.
The chief guest of the event Sardar Shahjahan Yousaf, Minister for State for Education and Trainings also addressed on the event. Asifa Asad, Vice President of private schools association, Islamabad while addressing the seminar shared her concerns of the ignorance private schools have been facing from the government. Students from different schools and colleges participated in the event, performed tableau and delivered speeches on the day.