'Teaching will always be a noble profession'

Megha Bhatt / TNN / Dec 3, 2006, 20:55 IST

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Ahmedabad based school principal Dr. Kirit Joshi has made the state proud by winning a National Award for his teaching skills in 2006.

'Teaching will always be a noble profession'

Ahmedabad based school principal Dr. Kirit Joshi has made the state proud by winning a National Award for his teaching skills in 2006.
He is flying high and why not? Being honoured by the Government of India for his services as a teacher of outstanding merit, has made Kirit Joshi emotional.
"It is a big moment for me. I can only thank my teacher and my father from my heart," he says.This is not Joshi's first award by any means. In 2001 he won an award for the best teacher of Gujarat. During the last 27 years as a teacher, he has remained committed to his profession.
As a maths teacher, what does he think of recent trends in education? Is maths still a popular subject? "Maths is extremely essential. New research, distinct methods of teaching and a good syllabus can re-ignite interest in the subject," he says.

Joshi is a teacher in the true sense. Apart from his classes, he has taken pains to do social work like provide uniforms to poor students and glasses to old people. Over the years he has opened science streams in 10 village schools as well.
No wonder then that this teacher gets upset when issues like violence in campus and the murder of teachers, come up. "Life is taking an ugly turn. The guru-shishya relationship is not valued anymore, it seems," he laments.

So, does he still consider teaching a noble profession? "Of course. It will always be a noble profession," he retorts. Teachers hardly get paid the salary they deserve or what their counterparts abroad get. So, what is it that makes it such a gratifying job? "When I make a difference to the life of even one student, his or her smile is enough prize for me," he says.
And what makes him smile? Joshi laughs: "A phone call or a greeting card from a past student simply makes my day." His next agenda? Making IAS and IPS officers out of current his school students. Knowing his success rate, this is one plan which looks destined to make news in the coming days.

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