Teacher’s day and Gifts

  Written by: Naqib Ahmad Azizi

In most schools of Afghanistan, one day is celebrating as teacher’s day. Every year. Students present different gifts to their teachers and the teachers participate in the parties held by the students. Some students are so poor that they could not prepare anything for this day but some teachers force them to bring something from homes and this action of the teachers creates some problems.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some students and teachers about this issue.

Kamran, a resident of Nangarhar province says: “Irfan was my classmate. He was from a poor family. On the teacher’s day, a teacher asked him some money for celebrating the teacher’s day. Irfan was not able to bring money and did not take part in the party and the teacher made him absent for 20 days.”

Nooria, a resident of Qarabagh district, Kabul province says: “I like to participate in celebrating teacher’s day but I am from a poor family and could prepare any gift for my teachers and i prefer to stay at home on that day.”

How could families, school administration and elders of the villages stop forced gifts?

Maghfira, the chief of a school, Qarabagh district says: “I inform all students two days before the teacher’s day that they are not forced to bring money for celebrating the teacher’s day and I want them to only take part in the ceremony and I prevent the students to bring gifts for teachers and I also have informed the teachers not accept gifts from the students.”

Muhammad Nabi, a resident of Logar province says: “My three son are students. Every year the school was collecting money from them for celebrating teacher’s day. I shared the issue with the school administration and they found out that a teacher was collecting money and the school administration solved that issue.”

A teacher, Sharifa Arif, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif says: “We have prevented collecting money for celebrating teacher’s day. If we celebrate Mother’s day or teacher’s day, we, teachers bring a cake and invite students to celebrate the day together.”