PM Modi lauds role of teachers

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday interacted with the recipients of National Teachers' Awards here and exhorted them to work towards bringing out the inherent strength of students, especially those with rural background.

On the eve of Teachers' Day, the prime minister congratulated the awardees for their efforts towards improving the quality of education in the country, an official statement said. He commended their dedication towards education and for making it their "life mantra". He said that a teacher remains a teacher throughout his or her life.

During the interaction, Modi urged the awardees to mobilise the community and to make them an integral part of school development. He also exhorted the teachers to work towards bringing out the inherent strength of students, especially those who are poor and from rural areas.

The prime minister said that the educators should work towards removing the disconnect between the teachers and the students, so that teachers are remembered by the students throughout their lives. He also encouraged the teachers to digitally transform their schools and its neighbourhood.

During the interaction with the prime minister, the awardees narrated their stories in transforming their schools into centres of learning and excellence.

They also thanked the prime minister for the new online nomination process and for schemes such as Digital India, which is bringing a big qualitative change in school education throughout the country, the statement said.

Later, in a series of tweets, the prime minister referred to the work carried by the awardees to highlight their contribution.