Remembering Empowered Teachers

Remembering Empowered Teachers By Akhtar Mirza District Manager, R.Y.Khan “HE WHO TAUGHT ME A SINGLE WORD, IS MY MASTER” Hazrat Ali(R ) When I look 33 years back, 1976, I was in 7 th Class, belonged to a lower middle and illiterate family. The locality I was living in was also just like a slum at that time. Although the conditions have changed now. No one was there to coach and follow up after school time. Going for tuition or hiring a tutor was thought ill. It was thought that this boy is weak and sluggish, so he goes to tutor. In my case, financial conditions did not allow to go for tuition. A new teacher came to my school (M.C Elementary School Block No.6, Khanpur District Rahimyarkhan) who was quite young having attractive personality. He was just out of university and was got employed as untrained teacher. He was very enthusiastic and passionate, very caring and sympathetic towards students. His name was Muhammad Aslam. A group of my class fellows decided one day to meet him in the office after class. We very humbly asked him if he could guide us in our studies. Some of my class fellows gathered one day and we went to him. “Sir, can you please teach us as we feel very difficulty to understand English.” Said we. He smiled and said,” I don’t give tuition to anyone. I have no problem if you come to my home but without any fee. All the classmates were delighted as his method of teaching was very good and we enjoyed in his class. So, we started to go to his home and our character transformation started. We used to do all household chores at his home like sweeping the room, sprinkling of water, dusting the

rooms etc. We were taught to do all domestic chores which we never did at our own home. All his family members (His father, mother, sisters) were very polite and helping towards us that we never felt any shyness or insult working there. We often use to take dinner at our teacher’s home because we used to go to him at about 4:00 P.M and returned at 8:00 P.M. In 8th class, he taught us the English Grammar and Composition in this way that I used to write my own composition. He often cancelled appointments with his friends whiling teaching us in the evening. He was a good player of Hockey and has been a member of Railway Hockey Team of Sukkur Division. He also took us with him to show some matches, and after completing our daily studies, we had a game of Carum at his home because he was also a good player of Carum. When I was promoted to 9th Class, I was asked by my teacher to teach the 8 th class students who came to him. So, I was made a teacher when I was in my 9th class. This thing was so inscribed in my personality that I could not escaped teaching rather changing my professional task to Junior Auditor in Municipality. He inculcated the positive ethics, sincerity with profession and honesty in our minds that still I can’t bear violation of rules and regulations. With the passage of time, I made up my mind to become a good teacher. Teaching became a passion for me. As I have explained earlier, my father was an illiterate; he never bothered to go to my school for knowing my progress. It was again my great teacher who always followed me in the High and Higher Secondary Section. He showed me the path of hard work and passion. Once he told, “Always try to be the necessity of an organization with your hard work, sincerity and honesty so that the organization could not leave you aside.” I always acted upon his advice and God Almighty always bestowed His blessings upon me. He

always stressed upon me to study further and it was his continuous stress that I got all my qualification (from F.A to M.A, M.Ed) as a private candidate and moreover after my marriage. I also admit that I tried to change my line from teaching to the Banking and was nearly selected once in Habib Bank and once in House Building Finance Corporation but I feel that God had decided for me to become a teacher and now I feel proud that I am teacher. I strictly contradict with the people who say that there is no social status of a teacher in the society. I use to say that Society still respects a teacher but for it “A teacher should also be a teacher.” It is due to the prayers of my teachers and parents that I can say with honour that I taught from Primary Classes to Post Graduate Classes being an E.S.T Teacher in Public Sector. I also wrote a book on “Teaching of English” for B.Ed . My teacher is still working in the same school as Head Teacher where he joined his first appointment. I can just say that if he wouldn’t have held my hands at that time, I could hardly be a matriculate and would be working as a junior clerk or be a daily labour. Sir, Aslam, I am proud to be your student.