Quality teachers: The beacon of a nation

Teachers are the most respected professionals of the society. Teaching profession can be considered as the mother of all professions because every profession is born out of teaching. A teacher also determines the quality of a nation. It is the teacher that inculcates the habit of honesty, hard work, the fear of God, obedience to rules and regulations of the nation in a child.  In the fast changing world of 21st century education system is changing which demands skilled and highly motivated teaching staff at all levels of education. So the role of teachers have become more challenging. But the paradox is that teaching as a profession is losing its status in recent time both economically and socially and we need to raise the position and dignity of a teacher, not for the benefit of teachers but for the society as a whole.
In order to recognise the impacts of teachers in a society, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has marked October 5 as the World Teacher`s Day (WTD). The day was first observed on October 5, 1994. This special day is acknowledged worldwide aiming to highlight the endeavours and achievements of teachers on a global perspective. The day is also observed in Bangladesh with various events jointly by teachers and students. For the year 2014, WTD theme is ''Invest in the future, invest in teachers". The theme will discuss the following agenda:
* The big role of teachers towards the young generation
* How to increase the number of teachers
* The importance of teachers in the society
Education is a social process. The basic concept of education is to bring up a child as an individual for the participation in society in group, both physically and mentally. It is the only way to achieve socio-economic development through economic emancipation, gender equity and equality, legal rights to combat all social impediments. Teachers are the most powerful force for achieving these. Teachers can be considered as a catalyst to improve the ability of students. Teachers play a fundamental role to build up a knowledge based nation because peace and prosperity can come not by political or economic changes but through a change in human nature.
Education has proven as the only way to beat poverty, which in turn leads to better job opportunities and quality of life. Such points are more endearing as the world becomes more a global community and educators make an impact every day to build up knowledge based social group. Globalisation makes  education wider, easier and technology based. Nowadays schools need to teach their learners how to gain information and how to select and use them. Students of present time learn how to use internet for recent information with their teachers. The change that took place in education system has changed the role of teachers too.

Now computer based modern technology is used in teaching field. Internet facility has made its access in many remote areas of a country. The use of technology can complement the learning process but never becomes substitute of a good teacher. Only a good and competent teacher can build up a better future of a student. Teachers in the modern concept are no longer lecturers but facilitators. Their main task is to set goals and organise the learning process accordingly.  They are intellectual leaders of a learning support unit.  They are supporters, advisors and they guide their pupils to perform well both at examinations and in life. Teachers are producing global citizens, so they are global teachers. It is necessary to think about teachers` issues from an international perspective.
Teachers act as mentor to build up ideology of a nation through its education system. To cope up with the changing situation, teachers need assistance to develop themselves with training on information technology, teaching methodology, classroom management and student motivation. It is the responsibility of the government of a country to develop national policy in order to build quality teachers  because education may rise above the quality level when the improvement of quality of teachers shall be given major emphasis in all educational planning and development.
Teacher student ratio is a major component for good governance and quality education. It is also necessary to increase the number of teachers. With the increased enrollment of students in recent decades this ratio is inadequate in developing countries. In Bangladesh, some two lack teachers educate about 18.5 million students in 37,672 government primary schools. Efforts should be made to increase the number of teachers to maintain teacher-student ratio for the sake of proper classroom management.  
The teaching profession is notable for the diversity of its members` background and the multiplicity of their occupational functions ranging from management of kindergarten classes to university lecturer level. But in most countries majority of teachers do not get sufficient remuneration compared to other professionals with similar or even less quality working in public sector and usually do not expect very large increase in salary and  promotion. A majority of teachers at junior level of education often are women, which may be a cause of lower salary level.  
Teachers` welfare has never been taken as a priority in our country. Teachers from primary to tertiary level get poor salary, do not have decent accommodation, transport facility and medical facility in most cases. Teachers have to wait for several years for promotion form one grade to the next. These situations cause sense of deprivation among teachers and exert a negative impact. As a consequence performance of teachers, in general, is poor. That is why top graduates do not feel interested in taking teaching as a profession.
To attract more competent persons in these professions, the following steps can be adopted such as:
a. Attractive salary scheme and other benefits in respect with present situation
b. Introduce satisfactory accommodation, medical and transport allowances for teachers of both government and non-government sector
c. Ensure safe and congenial work environment for all
d. Job security and fairness of promotion, benefits and time scale
e. Adequate in-service training within and outside the country
f. Recognition of individual achievements or reward for special contribution and long service
g. Improved management policy for fairness in promotion and consistency in application of rules and disciplinary procedures.
Teachers determine the quality of a nation. It can be said that the quality of education in Bangladesh represents the quality of teachers of the country.  Teachers educate the youth of the society who in turn become the leaders of the next generation. So a generation of quality teachers for new competency in teaching is needed to develop right now who will provide students with motivation to meet the future global challenges and work for sustainable development of the country.
The writer is a teacher of Alhaz Mokbul Hossain University College, a Rabindra Sangeet artiste and cultural activist, email: [email protected]