I remember my elders talking about their teachers who seemed to be on a mission, a sort of crusade to

educate, who wanted students to open their minds to the possibilities around them. They were our counsellors,

our mentors, the ones who guided us and listened to our manifestations of the world we thought to be in.

The teachers earn respect because of their passion for teaching, for the values they inculcate and for the

integrity with which they conducted themselves.

Where are those teachers? Well let me rephrase my question posed earlier. Where is the optimistic and

progressive mindset behind the profession of teaching? Teachers are supposed to illuminate the lives of the

children under their care.

Teaching appears to have turned into just another profession. The materialistic approach and regressive

mindset has also translated into the minds of our youth and they are merely concerned about attaining good

and well paying jobs. This has also created a competitive environment and everybody seems to run over the

other for its own survival in this vicious cycle of life defeating the entire purpose of education, morals and

ethics.

I admit that schools these days are imparting knowledge and running through curriculums in prescribed time.

But unfortunately we are not at all educating our generations. Education is a complete package of enlightening

and empowering an individual to be self sufficient in attaining his/her beliefs , values, morals, character building

in fact everything he/she comes across in life.

Education has become a business – not that ‘business’ is a bad word. It is just that schools and universities

have become such commercial enterprises that everything is measured in terms of profits.

Perhaps we need to raise the consciousness of the education institutes and their management. that they are

running the nurseries of a nation. Napolean once said " Give me good mothers - i will give you a good nation".

The schools and Madrasas complement the role of mothers/parents and play a vital role in upbringing and

grooming of chlidren. We must believe the notion that schools must play their role in optimum way to contribute

in building a bright future of our nation.

Nevertheless, i being a part of upcoming youth of this nation hopeful that we through constant struggle, vision

in mind and right direction as set by Allah (S.A.T) and Prophet (SAW) can achieve the right purpose because i

am set to believe in my short 8 years of schooling in SCIL that if Quran is there to guide us - we will never be

clueless, directionless and fruitless in our endeavors o0f life.

May Allah help us achieve our objectives and guide us to the right path.