Teachers should be role models - President

Chaminda Perera

While lauding the services of Samurdhi Development Officers, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said the Government would implement a novel program to obtain better services from the Samurdhi animators.

Addressing the Samurdhi Development Officers in the Nuwara Eliya district who received teacher appointments yesterday at the Temple Trees, President Rajapaksa stressed that teachers should not shun their responsibility of moulding a well disciplined younger generation.

These Samurdhi Development Officers have been carrying out an outstanding service to the country as teachers in remote schools in the Nuwara Eliya district. They were attached to the Teachers Service and President Mahinda Rajapaksa presented their appointment letters yesterday.

President Rajapaksa stressed that the teachers as role models should protect the dignity of the profession and should become parents and friends of the students.

"There are a number of media reports of students committing suicide for being unable to obtain 50 marks at the year end examination," he said.

He said the teachers should be able to identify the problems of children as parents to avert these kind of incidents. Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake and Livestock Development Minister C.B. Ratnayake were present on this occasion.