Tauseef Ahmad
Bandipora, Sep 05: Every year, 5th September is celebrated as World Teachers’ Day across the world, in honor of teachers who guide students towards enlightenment and nation-building. However, in Kashmir, the tradition of gift-giving on Teachers’ Day is leaving students of economically backward classes feeling left out.
In several schools today, students were seen giving gifts to their teachers, a gesture that was meant to show appreciation. Yet, this trend has demotivated hundreds of students from underprivileged backgrounds who were unable to bring gifts for their teachers.
“I feel ashamed in front of my own situation. I could not afford to buy a gift for my daughter for her teacher. I am a laborer by profession. I did not earn much, but I worked hard to teach children in good schools. I too have respect for teachers who raise our children, but this trend demotivates students of poor families,” one of the parents said.
He also said that our children have been asked to bring gifts for teachers a few days ago. Many parents can afford it, but what about those who cannot afford it?
Another parent said that yesterday, he brought gifts worth around a thousand rupees for his two children. There was a long line near a gift shop.
“Teachers are supposed to be honored for their guidance and wisdom, not for the material gifts they receive,” the parents lamented. “This trend of giving gifts is not only demotivating for a student whose parents cannot afford to buy a gift for his teacher, but it also makes them feel ashamed in front of other classmates.”
Where blessings have been given instead of material gifts
While the gift-giving tradition has increased in every school, the situation is different in seasonal schools of the Himalayas where children of Gujjar and Bakarwal communities have been taught.
Every year, hundreds of teachers are recruited on a contract basis to teach students of Gujjar and Bakarwal communities in seasonal conditions in dense forests for six months, on a meager salary of seven to nine thousand rupees.
These teachers travel several kilometers of track every day to teach students in dense forests.
“For me, every day is like Teacher’s Day. We are the first generation of our community who have been taught in these seasonal schools. We did not give gifts to our teachers, but we have their respect, and we pray for their better health and long life,” Aamina, a student of a seasonal school in Dahi Nallah of Bandipora from Rajouri, said.
She added that these teachers are bringing light into the lives of her community, acting as true nation-builders. Despite having limited resources and threats from wild animals in these dense forests, they continue their work where only the Almighty watches them. “We cannot give them expensive gifts, but we respect them and appreciate them for their hard work in making us able to read the books,” she said.
