SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that the responsibility of shaping the future of our children cannot be placed on teachers alone, stressing that the Government, parents and teachers must work together to prepare children for a rapidly changing world.
Addressing a one-day Education Conference organized by the J&K Teachers Forum at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), the Chief Minister said teachers play a crucial role in determining the future of children, but placing the entire responsibility on them would be unfair and add unnecessary pressure to an already demanding profession.
The conference, themed “Child is Our Priority”, brought together educators, researchers, policymakers and teachers to deliberate on key issues confronting the education sector, the challenges being faced by teachers and students, and the way forward.
Reflecting on the changing nature of the teaching profession, Omar Abdullah said the challenges before teachers today are very different from those faced 10, 15 or 20 years ago.
“There was a time when we could not even think of complaining about teachers. From KG to Class 12, I do not remember ever complaining to my parents about any teacher,” he said, adding that children today are growing up in a vastly different environment.
He said that while children must certainly be encouraged to ask questions, they must also learn to listen and engage with the answers they receive.
The Chief Minister recalled former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s emphasis on the role of parents and teachers in shaping the minds of children and building a better society.
“Today, when we put more responsibility on you, I also realize that it is not as easy to be a teacher today as it was 10 to 20 years ago,” he said.
He pointed out that teachers today have to compete for the attention of children with smartphones, social media, multiple television channels and now artificial intelligence.
“Today, you are competing with a smart- phone, social media, channels, so many things. And now artificial intelligence. At the same time, how difficult it must be for a teacher to decide whether the child’s assignment is his own creation or the help of artificial intelligence,” the Chief Minister remarked.
Omar Abdullah also acknowledged that the Government itself often adds to the responsibilities of teachers by involving them in a range of activities beyond classroom teaching.
From preparing students for cultural programmes on the occasion of national events to organizing activities on various important commemorative days or participating in events such as Nasha Mukt Bharat campaigns or election-related duties, teachers are frequently called upon to shoulder additional responsibilities, he said.
The Chief Minister assured the teaching community that the Government would address their genuine service-related and professional concerns, including transfers, Departmental Promotion Committees, vacancies and other issues.
“If you have problems with transfers, if you have problems with DPCs, if you have problems with vacancies, if you have problems with other things, then we have to solve those problems,” he said, assuring the teachers that he and Education Minister Sakina Itoo would work together to resolve their issues.
Omar Abdullah said there was a need to acknowledge the difficult conditions in which many teachers work, particularly in remote and rural schools.
“It is not easy to provide education in the remote schools of the village. It is difficult to work there,” he said, calling for greater attention to teachers who serve in such areas despite lacking influence or access to people in positions of power.
He also pointed to disparities in the distribution of teachers, noting that some city schools have more teachers and fewer students, while remote schools continue to face shortages.
The Chief Minister underlined that addressing infrastructure deficiencies and filling vacancies were responsibilities of the Government and not of teachers.
“There are gaps in the infrastructure. We talk about smart classes, but how far have we been able to take them? Smart classes are far away. In some places, we are still not able to provide the right infrastructure for the schools—with schools functioning in rented accommodation, unsafe buildings,” he said.
He said that while the Government was gradually working to improve school infrastructure, the responsibility for fixing these deficiencies rested with the administration.
Chief Minister said that providing infrastructure, filling up of vacancies is the responsibility of the Government. “Strengthening your hands so that you can do your work properly is the responsibility of me and my colleagues,” he said.
The Chief Minister urged teachers to focus on helping children identify their aspirations and preparing them to contribute positively to Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that while J&K had made considerable progress since 1947, the pace of global change was accelerating and the education system needed to prepare children for a very different future.
“We have progressed a lot from 1947 to today. But the world is changing very fast. The changes that took 30, 40 or 50 years will happen very fast in the next 20 or 30 years. We have to prepare our kids for that,” he said.
He stressed that the ultimate objective should be to equip children with the skills, confidence and values necessary to make a positive contribution to Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is all for J&K. And it is not your responsibility alone,” he said, adding that teachers would succeed only when the Government succeeded in creating the right environment for them to work.
“You will only be able to succeed if we succeed. If we fix your situation, if we improve the school, then you will improve the future of your kids,” Omar Abdullah said.
Referring to the issue of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), the Chief Minister said the Government had repeatedly attempted to raise the matter and would continue to make its voice heard.
“We will try to address it but with the hope that we will improve the education of J&K students,” he said.
The Chief Minister also emphasized that teachers should not feel that the Government was placing the entire burden of educational transformation on their shoulders and then leaving them to deal with the challenges alone.
“Don’t think that we have given you all the responsibility, that you do it and we leave. That won’t happen,” he said.
Minister for Education Sakina Itoo and Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani also addressed the conference and highlighted the pivotal role of teachers in society. They also outlined various initiatives undertaken by the Omar Abdullah-led Government since assuming office, including the reversal of the winter session in Kashmir valley and in winter zones of Jammu division.
MLA Beerwah Dr Shafi Ahmed Wani, MLA Khansahab Saifuddin Bhat, Director School Education Kashmir Naseer Ahmed Wani, Chief Education Officers, Chairman J&K Teachers Forum Mohd Shafi Rather, office bearers of the Forum and a large number of teachers were present on the occasion.
