Describing youth as country's future, Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul today said the principal responsibility of teachers is to ignite young minds.
Conferring 26 distinguished teachers with Governor's Award at the Raj Bhawan here, he said the teachers have been assigned the responsibility of shaping students, who are the country's future.
They should realise that education should not just fill minds, it should "ignite" them, make them alert and receptive, Paul said.
The governor was of view that the education "should fuel the imagination and nourish creativity" besides giving knowledge.
Constant intellectual exchange between teachers and students is what can result in this, he said.
"An everlasting zeal for learning, an unobstructed pursuit of truth, a sense of mission and a capacity for taking pains in disseminating light and knowledge are some of the essential qualities of a good teacher," the governor said.
Such a teacher will produce men and women of immense moral and intellectual powers and strength of character to guide and shape humanity, Paul said.
He also asked teachers not to stop learning themselves.
"The process of learning should not stop for a teacher. A teacher should remain a student all his life," he said.
As the country's future is in the hands of teachers their efforts need to be recognised, honoured and encouraged, the governor said terming the award as an initiative in that direction.
26 teachers of government schools of Uttarakhand were awarded by the Governor in the presence of Chief Minister Harish Rawat and a host of other dignitaries for their contribution to the field of education at the ceremony.
Instituted on the initiative of the Governor the award carries a cash prize and a citation. It was the first edition of the award.
