Teachers shape generations of the future: President

MALE, Dec 6 (HNS) - President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said that teachers shape the generations of the future. He said this while addressing a function held at Dharubaaruge Wednesday to mark the Silver Jubilee of Teacher Education in the Maldives and to award the certificates and prizes to this year's graduates of the Faculty of Education. The President stressed the importance of the safeguarding of the future of the country in having teaching responsibilities carried out by patriotic teachers who had a sound knowledge of the Maldives, a heightened awareness of local traditions and customs, a developed sense of national identity, and commitment and loyalty to nation. He said that teachers were asked to care for an important and precious trust of the people as teachers played the most important role in developing the young minds of children and in the building of their character. President Gayoom reiterated that the teaching profession was providing services to the community in a vital field to the nation, and said that the government deeply appreciated the services of those who were active in the education sector of the country, both in the past and at the present. He said that teachers should recognize the significance of the demanding responsibilities of their profession and should consider it their duty to develop a future generation that would be equal to the national tasks ahead of the country. The President said that the country needed its children to grow into productive and constructive adults who were strong in faith, patriotic, and committed to serving the nation. He said that the responsibility for building such a fine generation devolved upon the teaching profession. Pointing out that teachers had a useful opportunity to influence and shape for the better, the thinking, the behaviour, and the personality development of children, the President said that if teachers were able to make good and positive use of that opportunity, the future of the nation would be in the hands of generations that were loyal to the nation and firm in their faith. President Gayoom characterized teaching as an exalted national service and said that the attraction of good quality students into the teaching profession constituted an important foundation-stone in building a good future for the nation. He noted that prior to 1999 teacher education in Maldives was conducted by the Ministry of Education and paid tribute to the remarkable effort the Ministry had put into teacher education. In this regard, the President expressed his appreciation to former Ministers of Education Abdul Sattar Moosa Didi, Dr. Mohamed Zahir Hussain, and Abdulla Hameed, as well as to the incumbent, Dr. Mohamed Latheef for their service. The President also thanked all agencies, administrators and teachers who had at various times served in teacher training since the beginning of teacher education in Maldives in 1977. In addition, the President thanked Mausooma Jaleel, Dean of the Faculty of Education for her dedicated service and noted that she was the only individual who had served in teacher training in the Maldives from the start. The President thanked Nadhira Ismail, observing that she had served in a very senior capacity and for a long time in teacher training, and also Ahmed Ali Manik, Vice-Rector of the Maldives College of Higher Education, for his long-standing service in teacher education. The President also paid tribute to the late Nazeera Ahmed who had served as Teacher Educator and Coordinator at the Teacher Education Centre, a forerunner to the Faculty of Education. During the function, President Gayoom was presented with the special book, "Rihi Foiy", or Silver Journal, commemorating the 25th anniversary of teacher education in the Maldives. The Dean of the Faculty of Education Mausooma Jaleel presented the book to the President. At the function, the President presented certificates and prizes to the 15 graduates of the fourth Na