Students took out time from their busy academic schedule to pay respect to their mentors. On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, pupils put up various extra-curricular activities to express their love, reports Smita Kumar

Isomer The Play School

DURATION

Around two hours

SPECIAL Attraction

Bollywood songs like Ladke o re ladke / Kahaan se aaya hai re tu from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, were played. Students from nursery to upper KG took part. Principal Simmi Shailendra explained the importance of the day to tiny tots

Don Bosco Academy

DURATION

Around one-and-a-half hours

SPECIAL Attraction

Class X student Ritika Raj, who had taken part in Indian Idol VI, dedicated a song to the teachers. A performance by the rock band of the school was also applauded. Pupils also put up dance performances. Principal Mary Alphonsa enlightened kids on Teachers’ Day

Children’s Heaven High School

DURATION

Around three hours

SPECIAL Attraction

Teacher Savita Sinha recited a poetry titled Tumhein Samarpit, dedicated to the principal of the school, Poonam Raj. Class X student Sneha Kishore dedicated another poem to all the teachers, titled The gardener of human beings. Children also put up various song and dance shows

Rose Bud School

DURATION

Around three hours

SPECIAL Attraction

Children from all classes put up a lively show under the mentorship of class X students. The non-teaching employees, including Madhuri Devi and Gopal, were honoured by the school principal, M. Rizvi, for completion of 25 years of service. The principal composed a special prayer for the event

COMPLAINTS AFTER AWARDS

Chief minister Nitish Kumar felicitated eight teachers on the occasion of Teachers’ Day. The instructors were given a cheque of Rs 15,000, a memento and a shawl. Nitish was unhappy as there was no female teacher among those rewarded.

After the felicitation, The Telegraph asked the awarded teachers two questions about education in the state and changes in their profession:

(a) What is reason for the deterioration of school education?

(b) Has the teacher-student relation lost its grace?

This is what the senior teachers had to say

JAWAHARLAL DEV

Age: 53
School: Gandhi Uchcha Vidyalaya, Kathihar
Joining year: 1987

(a) The main reason for deterioration in school education is insufficient number of teachers. In my school, we have only three teachers for more than 300 students

(b) Yes, when we were students, teachers were like gurus. Now, no one respects the guru-shishya parampara (traditional relationship between teacher and student)

BALESHWAR JHA

Age: 58
School: Adarsh Madhya Vidyalaya, Sitamarhi
Joining year: 1977

(a) Students, teachers and the government — all are responsible for deterioration of education in schools

(b) Yes

PRAMOD KUMAR JAISAWAL

Age: 52
School: Jawaharlal Nehru Uchcha Vidyalaya, Purnea
Joining year: 1985

(a) Moral degradation, neither the students nor teachers and the government officials are discharging their duties honestly

(b) Yes, it has become a more commercial relationship

RAJESH KUMAR DAS

Age: 58
School: Girls’ High School, Tehta, Jehanabad
Joining year: 1976

(a) Parents have become materialistic now. They are not ready to expend time in the academic improvement of their children

(b) Yes, functions like Teachers’ Day have become only ceremonial. Students have no respect for their teachers

RAJEEV KUMAR RANJAN

Age: 44
School: Madhya Vidyalaya, Bazar Toli, Jehanabad
Joining year: 1991

(a) Insufficient number of teachers and

engaging them in non-academic works such as the mid-day meal scheme and construction of classrooms have added to the problems

(b) Yes, the teachers are not what they were few decades back

VINOD KUMAR SINGH

Age: 57
School: Government Basic School, East Champaran
Joining year: 1990

(a) Involving teachers in non-academic work. Schools have insufficient number of teachers

(b) Yes, teachers have become mercenary