Human beings are called social animals. Why so? As our survival and identity is dependent on living in community and relationships with others. However there are certain relationships in human history that remain timeless and are worthy. The love between parent and child, the devotion of a seeker to the divine, and quietly but profoundly the bond between a teacher and a student is something that my words can’t define. Unlike other ties, this one is neither biological nor transactional. It is woven from respect, curiosity, and trust. It is the bridge that connects generations, transmitting not just knowledge but values, wisdom, and a way of life.

From antiquity to modernity, this bond has been celebrated in every tradition. In Hinduism, the gurukul system established the guru as not just a conveyor of knowledge but as a custodian of the student’s moral and spiritual life. In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself was called Mu’allim the teacher who imparted both sacred and worldly wisdom. Sikhism is founded on the very idea of the Guru, where divine truth is realized through the guidance of a teacher. Even in Western traditions, Socrates and Plato remind us that philosophy itself is a dialogue between teacher and student.
But as I look around me today, I feel a deep sense of loss. The sacredness of this bond seems to have withered under the weight of modern pressures, market logic, and societal neglect.
The story of civilizations is, in many ways, the story of teachers and students.
In ancient India, Chanakya took a young orphan named Chandragupta Maurya under his wing. Their relationship was not confined to textbooks, it was a living partnership where discipline, sacrifice, and vision converged. Together, they built one of the greatest empires in history that is still remembered and will be
In the Islamic tradition, Imam Abu Hanifa, the founder of one of the greatest schools of Islamic jurisprudence, studied under Hammad ibn Abi Sulayman for 18 years, serving him with humility before establishing his own legacy. Hazrat Ali’s words still echo: “He who teaches me a single word is my master.”
The bond between shams of tabriaz and Maulana Rumi! Who else will forget
In the modern Indian context, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, India’s first Vice President and later President, was loved most not for his political power but for his days as a teacher. His students cherished him for his fairness and humility, so much so that his birthday is still celebrated as Teachers’ Day.
The West too offers parallels wither be Socrate or Plato or Aristotle lineage shaped the entire foundation of Western thought. The classroom was not a lecture hall but a conversation under the Athenian sky.
These examples remind us that the student,t eacher bond was never merely about academic scores. It was about shaping lives.
And yet, in our time, something seems broken. The reverence that once defined this relationship has given way to suspicion, impatience, and market-like transactions.
Walk into any urban or rural neighborhood nowadays and you will find parents spending lakhs on private coaching centers for engineering and medical entrance exams, but hesitating to give even a hundred rupees to the local molvi sahib or Sanskrit teacher who offers moral grounding i have observed it with hundreds of examples.This is not simply about affordability, it is about perception. Moral education is seen as optional, almost dispensable, while competitive success is seen as the only pathway to security.
Government schools, once the backbone of Indian education, suffer the most. According to UDISE 2022–23 data, more than 50% of rural households prefer private schools, citing poor teaching quality in government ones. Studies have shown teacher absenteeism in government schools ranges between 20–25% in some states. Contrast this with private institutes, where accountability and competition ensure regularity.
But here is the irony, while private teachers may be more regular, their scope is narrow. They focus on mathematics, science, English, subjects that guarantee employability. Very rarely do they have the time, space, or inclination to discuss honesty, discipline, compassion, or humility. In a sense, private tuition produces skilled workers but rarely thoughtful citizens.
So we are left with a paradox: government schools, which once emphasized holistic development, now fail at basic delivery, while private institutions deliver academic results but neglect the moral core. Although it may not been the truth on whole there are institutions that serve the both
Sometimes, I dwell in the nostalgia of my parents. They recall how, in earlier times, a teacher was part of the family. In villages, the ustad , masterji or guruji was not just an instructor but a community elder, guiding weddings, resolving disputes, shaping the ethos of the locality. Students would serve teachers with water, food, and respect, not because it was forced but because it was natural.
I remember my own childhood, when a teacher’s scolding felt harsher than a parent’s, not because of fear, but because it came from a place of concern. I am still under teachers but the most crucial and peak part is of childhood. Today, children treat teachers as service providers, people whose salaries their parents pay. Respect is conditional, often absent.
And parents? They have become equally transactional. They proudly spend lakhs on coaching centers but think twice before supporting the local madrasas, gurukuls, or moral classes. The mindset has shifted from “How can my child become a good human being?” to “How can my child get a high-paying job?”
This decline is not irreversible. Both the state and society must play a role.
Intervention of government where Strengthening of teacher training programs and link promotions with performance, not seniority.
Restore dignity to the teaching profession with better salaries, housing, and recognition.
Reintroduce moral and civic education into curriculums, not as optional subjects but as integral to learning.
Parents must stop viewing teachers as mere service providers. A good teacher shapes more than grades.
Community-level education must be supported in mosques, temples, gurudwaras, and local schools that can revive moral teaching traditions.
An important thing is to shift priorities from “marksheets” to “mindsets.”
I don't think moral classes need separate hours of period every teacher must inculcate these things they can contribute in morals also and yes this is manageable from the teacher I used to learn, Ali Muhammad where in 30 minutes class he used to cover the topics besides used to give the moral and civic lessons. I must say what I have not learnt from the great scholars although every teacher is great but what he impacted he impacted forever the lessons of english grammar are forgotten but lessons of the morals are deeply rooted
From childhood , where children are good imitators, they learn from the behaviour of teachers and leave a deep impact . I have observed children even imitating the dressing habits of teacher that might be the reasons many schools have made saree and other dress code to create sense of moral duty
Government schools should integrate digital tools and accountability measures to bridge the trust deficit.

We have Stories of Many Legends

APJ Abdul Kalam always remembered his school teacher, Sivasubramania Iyer, who encouraged him to soar beyond poverty and dream of becoming a scientist, or
Swami Vivekananda and his bond with Sri Ramakrishna was not one of intellectual instruction but of spiritual awakening. Ramakrishna saw in his disciple the spark of leadership and nurtured it patiently.
In Kashmir, Allama Iqbal’s own teachers at Sialkot played a decisive role in shaping the poet-philosopher’s vision, encouraging him to look beyond colonial boundaries.
These stories remind us that even today, where sincerity exists, the bond can still transform lives. Yes there are many teachers At local level in kashmir or other states where they work day and night for best future if a child
In the end, the question is not whether private teachers are better than government ones, or whether moral education should be prioritized over science. The deeper question is this: what kind of society do we want to become?

As samad mir sahab said
Pad pad ke gaya pathar likh likh ke gaya choor
Jis padne se sahib milay wo padna hai aur.

If we continue to treat education as a commodity, teachers as mere employees, and moral lessons as optional luxuries, then we will raise generations that are clever but not wise, skilled but not kind, successful but not humane.
The sanctity of the student–teacher bond cannot be legislated into existence. It must be revived in the hearts of parents, students, and teachers themselves. It requires humility to accept that knowledge is not bought, it is received. It requires respect to understand that a teacher’s value is not measured in rupees but in the lives they shape.

Can there be any Greater Tribute to the Teacher?

We must ask ourselves, with honesty: do we still see our teachers this way? Or have we reduced them to the margins of our society, valued only for exam results and not for the shaping of souls?
If the answer pains us, as it should, then perhaps it is time,not just for government reform, but for a collective change of heart.
Civilizations do not fall when economies decline. They fall when the bond between teacher and student breaks.

Email:-----------------------------muskanshafimalik@gmail.com