Yusuf Rana | Mumbai
Wire Centre
Teachers’ Day is meant to celebrate the people who educate, guide and inspire children. A simple greeting, a handmade card, a flower or even a small gift can be a heartfelt way for a student to express gratitude to a teacher.
But what happens when a voluntary gesture starts feeling like an expectation?
This question becomes particularly important when it comes to BMC municipal schools in Mumbai, where a large number of children come from families for whom even a small additional expense can matter.
BMC runs a vast municipal school network, with around 3.61 lakh students studying in its schools. The civic body also provides school supplies to students as part of its education support system.
Against this backdrop, any complaint that students are being asked or pressured to bring gifts or money for Teachers’ Day deserves to be taken seriously—but also examined fairly.
If a teacher simply asks students to express their love and respect, there may be no issue. But if a student feels that bringing a gift is compulsory, or fears embarrassment because he or she cannot afford one, the spirit of Teachers’ Day is lost.
For a child from a financially struggling family, a gift may not be a small matter.
Parents already have to manage household expenses along with education-related needs. No student should feel that the respect he or she has for a teacher is measured by the value of a gift.
There is an important difference between a gift given out of affection and a gift given because of pressure.
The first is gratitude.
The second can become a burden.
What should BMC do?
If complaints regarding compulsory gifts or collection of money from students are received, the BMC Education Department should verify them rather than ignoring them. The concerned teacher and school administration should also be given an opportunity to explain their side.
If the complaint is found to be baseless, that should be made clear. If any misconduct or violation of applicable rules is established, appropriate action should follow.
The issue should not be about attacking teachers as a community. Thousands of teachers work hard every day in Mumbai’s municipal schools and play an important role in shaping children who may not have access to many other educational opportunities.
The real question is about maintaining the dignity of both teachers and students.
A teacher’s greatest reward should not be an expensive box, an envelope or a costly present.
It should be a student who succeeds in life.
A student who becomes confident.
A student who respects others.
A student who becomes a responsible citizen.
The real Teachers’ Day question
Perhaps this Teachers’ Day, instead of asking students:
“What are you bringing for me?”
Every teacher should ask themselves:
“What have I given my students?”
Knowledge. Confidence. Character. Discipline. And the courage to build a better future.
Because in a BMC classroom—or any classroom—the most valuable gift should never be the one a student brings from home.
It should be the future a teacher helps build.
