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| Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sharma has a word with chief minister Tarun Gogoi at the Teachers’ Day function in Jorhat on Wednesday. Picture by UB Photos |
Jorhat, Sept. 5: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today said shouting slogans and taking out massive processions would not lead to revolution, but the light of knowledge and education would brighten the lives of people in a revolutionary way and take the state forward.
Speaking as the chief guest at a function organised at the District Library auditorium here on 51st Teachers’ Day, Gogoi said teachers must contribute in bringing about a revolution that would lead the state on the path of progress, peace and prosperity.
“Just shouting slogans loudly and taking out big processions will not solve problems or bring about a revolution. The spread of education with new application of technologies will bring revolutionary changes in the state,” he said, in an oblique reference to the latest wave of protests and processions in the state.
Gogoi said his government’s policy of giving priority to education had brought about considerable improvement in the sector. Education brings empowerment and helps people to see things in a broader perspective. Several problems can be solved if people are given access to education and they cannot be easily misled to create a violent situation, he added.
The chief minister appealed to teachers to follow the ideals of former president S. Radhakrishnan whose birthday is celebrated as Teachers’ Day. He said teachers have a great role in the nation-building process and the government would provide them necessary support for a better career and work environment. He hoped teachers would also help students to develop a strong character.
Gogoi said the Right to Education Act entrusts the government with a lot of responsibility and it would try its best to produce quality teachers to impart quality education.
The chief minister conferred the state’s best teacher award on 27 teachers at the function.
He praised education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, with whom he shared the dais for the first time since the latter reportedly offered to resign from the cabinet, and officials of the department for bringing about a remarkable improvement in the sector.
Speaking at the function earlier, Sarma heaped praise on Gogoi saying that it was under his leadership that the state had progressed on several fronts, including education.
The minister said unlike the previous government, teachers have been receiving their salaries regularly since the Gogoi government came to power in 2001.
He said the government has announced a series of benefits for the teachers and would continue to do so but teachers should also carry on the good work. He also announced that teachers would get provisional pension after retirement until the same is fixed by the government.
Sarma said the Assam College Teachers’ Association’s decision to avoid using electronic attendance recording device and bio-metric punching machines from today would not be in the interest of all. Not using modern technology and reverting back to the old method would send a wrong signal and take Assam 40 years back, he added.
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