PESHAWAR: Speakers at an event held on the World Teacher’s Day on Wednesday underscored the crucial role of teachers in transforming a society and building better future through provision of quality education to students.

The event was jointly organised by the Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of Peshawar, and NGO Dosti Welfare Organisation, according to a statement issued here.

The event featured speech competitions, panel discussion and a drama. A large number of students and faculty members of IER and University Model School for Girls were in attendance.

Students of the school welcomed the guests through presenting a tableau. IER’s director Dr Abdur Rauf threw light on the importance of the World Teacher’s Day and said teachers’ contribution in development of nations could not be under estimated. He also asked teachers to do their best in educating students.

UoP Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohammad Idrees, who was the chief guest, said teaching was an honourable profession, and urged teachers to work hard to educate students.

Dr Idrees also inaugurated the department of health and physical education at the IER.

A panel discussion was held on the role of teachers in transforming education system. Faculty members Dr Syed Munir Ahmed, Dr Amjad Reba and others answered the students’ questions.

Certificates of appreciations were also distributed among teachers.

The students and faculty members also held a walk on the campus.

Separately, events were arranged in schools across Charsadda district to highlight the role of teachers in nation building.

On the other hand, college teachers and students observed the World Teacher’s Day as black day in Bannu to protest police torture and misbehaviour with a colleague.

A large group of college teachers and students holding black flags and wearing black armbands took out a rally from the government postgraduate college.

The protesters raised slogans against the police and converged near the press club after passing through different bazaars.

They observed a one-minute silence to express solidarity with Prof Yousaf Jazab, who was allegedly tortured by police last month.

On the occasion, the teachers’ leaders, including Shabeer Hussain, Saoodur Rehman, Shamsher and Abdullah Quraishi, said Prof Jazab was maltreated by police, forcing teachers to mark World Teacher’s Day as black day.

They said countries gave due respect to teachers and placed them in high esteem in society, but teachers did not get the respect they deserved in Pakistan.

They also regretted that police did not take action against the policemen involved in the incident.

The teachers’ leaders warned of staging a sit-in outside the residence of former prime minister Imran Khan in Banigala, Islamabad, if the provincial government did not act against the guilty policemen.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2022