Every 5th September classrooms across India turn into stages of gratitude,students present flowers and handmade cards, schools organise cultural programmes, and social media fills with tributes to teachers. The occasion commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan the philosopher, statesman and teacher who believed that the day should be observed as Teachers’ Day rather than as a celebration of his own birthday.

The sentiment is worthy. But there is a question that deserves greater attention, Are we honouring teachers only ceremonially while ignoring the conditions in which they are expected to teach?

A society’s commitment to education cannot be measured by the number of bouquets distributed on September 5. It must be measured by how much trust, dignity, professional freedom and institutional support it extends to its teachers throughout the year.

Dr. Radhakrishnan saw education as far more than the transmission of information. For him, education was about developing reason, democratic values and responsible citizenship. That vision placed the teacher at the centre of nation building not simply as someone who completes a syllabus, but as a mentor who shapes minds and character.

Today, however, the teaching profession is increasingly being reduced to targets, paperwork, examinations and administrative compliance.

Private school teachers often operate under intense workload pressures, limited job security and salaries that do not always correspond with their qualifications or responsibilities. In both sectors the consequences are predictable, professional fatigue, reduced motivation and less time for the personal engagement that effective teaching requires.

At the same time, society’s expectations from teachers have become increasingly contradictory. Parents demand outstanding examination results, schools demand administrative compliance, governments demand implementation of multiple programmes, while students are expected to navigate an increasingly competitive academic environment
But education is not a production line in which teachers alone are responsible for the final product.

The wider education ecosystem including parents, institutions, policymakers and society must share responsibility.

The statistics surrounding school infrastructure and student pressure should make us uncomfortable. A NITI Aayog report has highlighted the closure of thousands of government schools over the past decade, while more than thousands schools have only one teacher. Such figures raise fundamental questions about access, staffing and the quality of education available to children, particularly in rural and economically weaker communities.

The National Crime Records Bureau recorded 14,488 student suicides in 2024. Behind every statistic is a young life and a family left to cope with an unimaginable loss. The growing dependence on coaching centres, the expansion of the coaching economy and the spread of the dummy school culture also indicate how far the education system has drifted from the idea of learning as a holistic process.

When classrooms become secondary to coaching centres and examinations become the primary measure of success, the teacher’s role inevitably becomes diminished.

A good teacher does not merely prepare a student to answer an examination question. A good teacher teaches a child how to question, reason, communicate, disagree respectfully and make responsible choices That requires time.It requires trust.And above all, it requires dignity.

This year, 82 exceptional educators will receive the National Teachers’ Awards from President Droupadi Murmu. Such recognition is important and deserves appreciation. But national awards cannot compensate for structural problems affecting thousands of teachers every day.

If governments genuinely want to strengthen education, teachers must have a meaningful voice in education policy. Policies affecting classrooms should not be framed without listening to those who spend their working lives inside them.

Teachers need adequate staffing, reasonable workloads, fair remuneration and secure working conditions. They need professional development, but they also need professional autonomy. Most importantly, they need society to recognise that teaching is not merely another government or private-sector job. It is a profession upon which every other profession ultimately depends.
Parents, too, have a role.

A teacher should not be treated as a service provider whose performance is judged solely by a child’s marks. Academic achievement matters, but education cannot be reduced to examination results. Parents and teachers must work as partners rather than adversaries.
The same principle applies to students.

Respect for teachers does not mean unquestioned authority, it means recognising the experience and responsibility that comes with the profession. A healthy classroom should allow questions and disagreement while retaining discipline and mutual respect.

Dr. Radhakrishnan regarded teachers as architects of society. If that description still holds true, then society must provide those architects with the tools necessary to do their work.

Flowers are welcome, Words of gratitude are welcome, Awards are welcome
But they cannot be the substitute for reform.

The true measure of Teachers’ Day is not how many messages we post on September 5. It is whether, on September 6 and every day thereafter, we continue to respect the people standing in our classrooms.

“A nation that wants educated, confident and responsible citizens must first ensure that its teachers are respected, supported and trusted” That would be the most meaningful tribute to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and perhaps the most meaningful way to celebrate Teachers’ Day.

[ The author is a Kashmir based journalist covering politics, environment, defence, strategic affairs, and sports for national media outlets. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at pressmudasir99@gmail.com and on X @MudasirJourno ]