New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday said the National Education Policy (NEP), implemented last year, has set an ambitious objective of establishing India as a global knowledge super-power.

Speaking at a virtual award ceremony on the occasion of Teachers’ Day wherein 44 teachers from across the country were honoured with National Awards, the President said, ‘We have to provide such education to the students which would be helpful in building a just society based on knowledge. Our education system should be such that students develop commitment to the Constitutional values and fundamental duties, strengthen patriotic feeling and make them aware of their role in the changing global scenario.’ 

The President said the primary responsibility of combining the inherent talents of the students lies with the teachers; a good teacher is a personality-builder, a society-builder and a nation-builder.

Congratulating all the teachers who received the award for their distinguished contributions, he said that such teachers strengthen his belief that the future generation is safe in the hands of ‘our well-qualified teachers’.

He said teachers have a very important place in everyone’s life. ‘People remember their teachers life-long. Teachers who nurture their students with affection and devotion always get respect from their students,’ the President said.

He urged teachers to inspire and enable their students to envision a golden future and acquire aptitude to fulfill their aspirations. The President said it is the duty of teachers to inculcate interest in studies in their students.

Sensitive teachers can shape the future of students by their behaviour, conduct and teaching, he said.

The President said they (teachers) should pay special attention to the fact that each student has different abilities, talents, psychology, social background and environment. Therefore, emphasis should be laid on all-round development of each child according to their special needs, interests and abilities, he said.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Ministers of State for Education — Subhas Sarkar, Raj Kumar Ranjan Singh and Annapurna Devi — were also present. Anita Karwal, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare and other senior officials were present on the occasion.

Earlier in the morning, the President paid homage to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President on his birth anniversary. The President and officials of Rashtrapati Bhavan paid floral tributes to the portrait of Dr. Radhakrishnan at Rashtrapati Bhavan.