Muhammad Aamir Siddiqi, a social leader and president of a progressive welfare organisation in Rawalpindi, told workers on World Teachers’ Day that knowledge is the light by which a nation advances and teachers are the primary carriers of that light to society.
He noted that Islam places the teacher in a position akin to a spiritual parent, and he referenced the Prophet’s teaching about being sent as a guide and teacher. In that role teachers take responsibility for a child’s education after parents and transform raw potential into skill, character and contribution to society.
Siddiqi said recognising teachers’ services requires practical steps to improve teachers welfare, including timely and modernised salaries, reliable pensions, and additional benefits that protect their livelihoods and professional status. He warned that ignoring these needs risks pushing educators into protests and instability that harm the education system.
He criticised parts of the private education sector that charge high fees while compelling well-qualified teachers to accept low pay, calling this practice unjust and counterproductive. Such treatment, he argued, undermines the dignity of teachers and the long-term prospects of the nation.
Siddiqi urged that honouring teachers and improving teachers welfare be prioritised so schools thrive, the learning environment is enriched, and future generations can inherit a brighter, more prosperous society.
