Teacher's Day in India, celebrated on September 5th every year, honors teacher's significant contributions to society. It commemorates Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's birth anniversary and acknowledges his crucial role in shaping students' minds and futures. Students express gratitude through various activities, reflecting on the indispensable role of educators in building a strong literate society.
Remembering India’s First Woman Teacher
Another gem who enlightened society playing a pivotal role is Savitribai Phule, India's first female teacher and social reformer. She played a significant role in promoting education and social equality, particularly for women and marginalized communities.
Savitribai overcame obstacles like the caste system and male supremacy. Any woman taking the initiative and standing up for a cause was unthinkable and impossible at the time. Savitribai, on the other hand, dismantled all the barriers and fought for women's education in India. She did it by deed rather than speech. She transformed into a live example.
In 1848, she opened the first school for girls in Pune, breaking social norms and setting a precedent for women's education in India. Her efforts led to the establishment of several schools, including three with over 150 students. Savitribai also advocated for women's rights and social justice, abolishing practices like child marriage and Sati.
She founded the Satyashodhak Samaj, a society fighting against social injustices, and established a care center for pregnant rape victims. In the modern time, her legacy is celebrated through literature, films, and educational institutions.
Heritage of Influential Female Educators
India has a long history of women educators who have significantly shaped society through their dedication to education and social reform. Prominent women including Anandibai, Fatima Sheikh, Pandita Ramabai, Sister Nivedita, Rukhmabai Raut, Sarojini Naidu, and Begum Rokeya have all played significant roles in promoting women's education, advocating for women's rights, legal reforms, and establishing schools for girls.
Education’s Criticality in Women & Society’s Development
Education is one of the most important tools for empowering women in any society. Education does not only play the role of a catalyst in enhancing one’s personality but also strengthens their economic, social, cultural development. Education also plays a key role in improving one’s quality of life and has a strong impact on the overall family and community’s living standards as well. Reports suggest that the higher the female literacy rates, the lower is the rate of child mortality. It also is inversely proportional to crime rates in a respective area. Education on the whole is capable of reducing societal inequalities, especially ones stemming from gender.
According to statistics, India's female literacy rate increased by 14.4 per cent from 2010 to 91.95 per cent in 2021. The gross enrollment ratio (GER) for females at primary, middle, and higher secondary levels increased to 100.6. Adult literacy rates for females are 59.3 per cent, with a significant rural-urban gap, with rural females having a lower rate. In addition to this, the World Bank India Report states that only 9 per cent of women were educated at the time of Independence whereas at present the percentage jumped to nine per cent. It mentions that Kerala is the most literate state with 92.2 per cent whereas Bihar has the lowest literacy rate at 61.8 per cent.
The field of education has also been considered to be conducive for women professionals. For years women educators have been carrying the baton to educate and carve future citizens and leader of the country. Be it handholding young toddlers who have just gotten into the education system to leading higher educational institutes, women educators have always been influential in the field of education.
On this teacher’s day, we show our gratitude towards all the amazing female teachers we have had throughout the years. Your contribution is making India a stronger and literate nation.
