UNESCO proclaimed 5 October to be World Teachers’ Day in 1994. As Minister of Education, I had the honour and privilege to launch the First World Teachers’ Day in Mauritius in 1995. I recall vividly how my ministry had invited all schools in the Republic in collaboration with PTA to pay respect and celebrate on the eve together at school the dedication and achievements of teachers, as well as their efforts in the field of education.
In India, there is a popular proverb that says, “Teachers are the students’ second parents.”
Every student’s life is influenced by his or her teachers. They’re like beacons of light, guiding us through our formative years. Teachers impact our personalities and, in turn, our future. We carry what we learn from our teachers with us for the rest of our lives.
“An education should be open to all, regardless of anyone’s situation ,” Bernie Sanders said, meaning that teachers should educate and share information with all students, affluent or underprivileged, because education is the cornerstone of all success.
When I was a minister, I encouraged teachers to teach students who lacked the financial means to pay for tuition so that they could succeed in their exams. I make a special appeal not to restrict children access to education because of demographic or economic differences, because only through educating and informing the country’s youth can the country’s future be secure.
Teachers are like burning candles who work diligently to make their pupils’ futures brighter. We, on the other hand, frequently fail to honor them for their selfless service. Teachers require encouragement and support from the community in order to feel valued for their efforts. Every year, Teacher’s Day is observed all across the world to achieve this aim. Let’s show our support for our teachers!
I pay tribute to my teachers to whom I am always grateful for their contribution in my life journey. They helped me with either free and concessionary tuition fees as I could not afford to pay. During my ten year of service as a teacher I in turn gave back free tuition to all needy students who came to me.
My special message and appeal to all teachers in Mauritius is to offer special support to needy students with free or concessionary fees.
– Prof Armoogum Parsuramen