The purpose of education is to make better human beings with skill and expertise. Enlightened human beings can be made by teachers: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) is now in its implementing phase. NEP 2020 recommends restructuring the entire education domain in India. It emphasizes foundational literacy, numeracy, and skills to prepare India to face 21st-century challenges. The success of any education policy rests upon the belief and efforts of its fraternity. Teachers must be proactive in understanding the aims, objectives, and motto of NEP and upskill themselves through rigorous, continuous professional development programs, training, workshops, and conferences at various levels.
Implementation of NEP will require discarding the age-old practice of memorization and rote learning and adopting new pedagogies to move beyond textbooks. The aim must shift from syllabus completion to achieving learning outcomes. Educators must understand and embrace integrated and multidisciplinary approaches while implementing NEP at the ground level. It becomes imperative for the teaching community to have strong coordination, cooperation, and motivation to transform students’ lives through skill and character building.
Recognizing the importance of teachers in the education system, NEP 2020 focuses on building the role of teachers along with the desired attributes necessary for nation-building. This policy places teachers at the centre of much-needed fundamental reforms in the education system. It emphasizes reestablishing teachers, at all levels, as the most respected and essential members of our society, as they shape the future generation of the country. We must appreciate that the role of a teacher is not confined to teaching within the four walls of a classroom, but also includes developing course curriculum, producing quality books, innovating in teaching-learning methods, and guiding and assessing students.
At the same time, NEP has elaborated on the required attributes of teachers to achieve its objectives. Now, the question arises: what makes an ideal teacher? What are the desired attributes that an ideal teacher should possess? To ponder over the attributes of an ideal teacher, we may consider the following traits, from which a teacher should acquire at least some to be considered good:
A good teacher should be content with their position and avoid comparing themselves with others. This helps them maintain a positive impact on their work, thereby benefiting their students.
Punctuality is an essential attribute for a teacher, as it sets an example for future generations. Once a teacher accepts the profession, maintaining a timeline for all activities in an academic institution becomes crucial.
Adherence to professional ethics is vital. Teachers serve as role models for students, and their conduct influences students’ lives significantly. Therefore, maintaining decorum acceptable to society is imperative.
Passion for knowledge and lifelong learning is essential. Learning is a continuous process, and a good teacher must embody this principle to inspire their students effectively.
Effective communication skills, including the ability to listen actively, are crucial for delivering lessons and understanding students’ needs. Listening to students during their tough times fosters confidence and promotes successful learning.
Engaging students through humour and creative lectures enhances the learning process. This approach connects teachers with students more effectively and encourages active participation.
Collaboration is key. Teachers do not work alone; they collaborate with parents, the educational system, other teachers, and learners to create a supportive learning environment.
Adaptability and responsiveness to changing societal needs are essential qualities. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, effective teachers swiftly adapted to online teaching methods to continue delivering quality education.
NEP emphasizes the contributions, sacrifices, and efforts of teachers in upholding the dignity, respect, and honour of the teaching profession. Policymakers should be supportive in providing perks and facilities to attract young, intelligent, and creative minds to this profession. However, they must also ensure accountability and responsibility through monitoring to achieve desired results.
Creating an independent agency like the Indian Teaching Services (ITS), akin to the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) and Indian Police Services (IPS), could be considered. This agency could oversee the recruitment and promotion of teachers through a Teachers Aptitude Test (TAT) to ensure a continuous influx of energetic, professional, and competent teachers at both academic and administrative levels.
With NEP 2020, our schools should no longer be seen as factories where teachers are mere machines and students are products. Instead, we hope to foster an ecosystem of learning where both teachers and students evolve as enlightened human beings.
The writer is a teacher

Saqib Faisal Naik