September 5, 2012
Teachers` Day celebrations:Chief Minister confer ` Shiksharatna` on 100 teachers, flags-off 32-`Jeevansathi` ambulances. Women`s university in pipeline
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee conferred `Shiksharatna` award on 100-teachers at a special programme held at Netaji Indoor Stadium on the occasion of Teachers` Day. Teachers were felicitated for their contribution in the field of teaching. Teachers who had come from all over West Bengal also represented Madrasa and High Madrasa apart from schools and colleges.
Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee unveiled nine-text-books on this occasion those would be soon introduced in classes 1, 3 and 5. These books are based on new curriculum and syllabus. She also inaugurated `Sahajpath` and books on the writing and works of Rabindranath Tagore.
Speaking on this occasion the Chief Minister said, `I am happy to welcome you all on this day. I know you have come from every district even remote places like Jangalmahal. I thank you for coming. I feel we should all analyze our potentials and then we will realize the contribution of our teachers in shaping our personality. Teachers not only impart education but build character and inspire to be good human beings`.
`I respect your contribution and sincerely believe that without your contribution this society is incomplete since it is you who inspire a young mind to follow honesty and ethics in life. I know it is not easy to be a good teacher as it requires a lot of education and discipline`, she said.
`We have taken an initiative to build three-universities in Bengal – One in the name of Panchanan Barma in Cooch Behar, second one in the name of Kazi Nazrul in Asansol and a private university. I also have plans to build an university exclusively for women in Diamond Harbour`, added Ms. Banerjee.
Earlier in the morning the Chief Minister attended a special programme at Maidan where she felicitated 50-teachers for their contribution. The Chief Minister said, `I pay my respect to teachers on this day. It is due to their dedication, devotion and hard work, we have achieved whatever we are today. It may be at school, university or professional level. Your work does not stop after retirement. You must carry the great work of character building among students`.
Ms. Mamata Banerjee also stressed on the need to minimize the stress level on the students due to studies as it was having a negative effect on them.
Chief Minister handed over 32-ambulances `Jeevansathi` to different Municipalities, Panchayet Samiti and association working in the welfare of the people. This was done under the financial assistance from MPLAD funds of Trinamool Congress MP Mr. Derek O'Brien. `This is a positive work and I am sure you all will appreciate as there are many districts which lack ambulance facilities where patients including pregnant women have to travel in van-rikshaws or hand-carts to reach health centres and hospitals. I am sure this will be of immense help in this direction`, added the Chief Minister who requested the teachers to join her on the stage and flag-off these ambulances.
