Lahore: Teachers must change their attitude and command respect through their commitment and professional competence instead of pleading before the government or the masses for the lost respect, said Prof Mumtaz Akhtar, Institute of Education and Research director, Punjab University, at a World Teachers' Day function here on Thursday. The function was organised by the Pakistan Education Watch (PEW) at institute's hall.

Ms Akhtar said that teachers had lost their role as real mentors and guides for their students. She said most of the teachers went to classes to consume the duty time instead of imparting good quality education to learners. She said many teachers were working for a number of academies to make money which had affected their performance.

PEW chairperson Shaheen Attiqueur Rehman said the Pakistani nation could progress and alleviate poverty only after educating the whole nation. She said Bangladesh was a poorer country than Pakistan but it had ensured a 100 per cent enrolment in its schools. In Pakistan, almost 30 per cent of the population was still out of school and in Punjab alone there were over 30 million illiterates.

She said a real teacher inculcated love of learning among his or her pupils and in this way they became a great entity and continue to live on in the heart of learners. She said teachers were the ambassadors of conscience and vision.

Former Punjab DPI (colleges) Dr Shaukat Ali said teachers lost respect in the last three decades, when the private sector emerged and the elite class started sending their children to those schools. Consequently, the government's attention towards public schools started receding that led to even stopping of regular grants for libraries, laboratories and upkeep of campuses.

He said this society's cold shoulder towards the public sector education also discouraged teachers. He said that it was a high time to bring about a social change in society so that teachers could also regain their lost glory.