If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people’ goes a Chinese proverb quoted by Vanitha Datla, Vice Chairperson of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the event hosted by the NGO Teach For India on the occasion of Teacher’s Day.
At the Indian School of Business, over 200 participants across the government, corporate and NGO sectors heard some inspiring speeches and discussions. World Blind Cricket Council Chairman George Abraham, Cricketing star V.V.S Laxman were the main invitees.
A majority of the audience comprised unconventional ‘teachers’ all college graduates and young professionals who teach in government and under-resourced schools around the city as a part of their fellowship with Teach For India (TFI). The event started off with a wonderful skit by students of Siddhartha School, which showcased the importance of a teacher in lifting the veil of ignorance. The evening also saw a debate on child labour by students of Grace Model School and a panel discussion on sustainable solutions to deal with the education crisis in India.
Vanitha Datla highlighted the role of the corporate sector in the education system and the need to invest corporate funds in CSR to adopt schools. She also emphasized the need for effective communication skills in primary schools and the need for increased school and teacher accountability. Reflecting on the growing number of ‘unemployable’ graduates in India, she talked of the need to make the students industry-ready.
“Behind every successful person is a Guru . It is the responsibility of the teacher to mould, refine and polish the students to contribute to the economy of the country,” said George Abraham, in his key note address, adding, “There is a need to vitalize teaching in our country and make sure that every child comes into the classroom.” He highlighted the need for inclusive education by showing an inspiring video from his show Nazar Ya Nazariya .
Dr. Subba Rayudu Project Officer from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan addressed the issue of drop-outs in schools and appealed to the youth to reshape India. He praised the work carried out by the TFI fellows in the government schools.
The crowd went jubilant as V.V.S Laxman took the stage. He unveiled the logo of CII Young Indian Youth Conclave being held on November 21 and 22.
Applauding the work done by Teach For India in its pursuit of educational equity, he said that it takes guts to come out of our comfort zones to work at the grass root levels. He also appreciated TFI’s pilot initiative, Firki – an online teacher training portal designed to help and empower teachers.
The evening came to an end with TFI’s city director Karthik Rapaka, enunciating the need for quality education and leaving the crowd with the organisation’s vision that, ‘One day all children will attain an excellent education’.
One of the highlights of the evening was that it was co-hosted by a very confident Arsalaan a Standard IV student in one of the Teach For India classrooms in the old city.
