Appreciating teachers’ innovative techniques in their teaching work, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suggested that they take their students on educational tours to acquaint them with the diversity of Indian culture and also promote tourism.

In his interaction with teachers who were given national awards on the Teachers’ Day, the Prime Minister said for educational tours, they should prefer areas which are of interest to their students. The students can be assigned to prepare notes on different aspects of culture of a region, he said.

If students of a region, like Goa, visit North East, it would boost economic activity of the region, the Prime Minister said. To meet the needs of the visiting students, the local cities would have to create many facilities, like transport, eating places, and home-stay, he said.

Mr Modi said the travel of students from one region to another would force the development of infrastructure. New possibilities for jobs would emerge. If schools decide on 100 different destinations for the educational tours over two years, this can bring a revolution in the tourism sector.

The Prime Minister said that travelling around the country would educate the students and at the same time encourage a high-employment sector of tourism. The students would learn faster during their tours which cover the subjects they study as part of curriculum, he said.

Mr Modi said schools can arrange for visit of students to nearby universities also. He said when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, he used to tell universities inviting him for convocations that he would bring along 50 guests also. These guests used to be students studying in government schools and living in slum areas.

Such visits can create dreams in the students’ minds to wear convocation dresses and get higher educational degrees. The Prime Minister told the award-winning teachers they can also take their students to universities to let the young children know how university education system works.

Mr Modi told the teachers to encourage all students to watch sports events. Often it is seen, only those students who have some interest, or are participating in the events are attending the events. Those participating in the competitions would feel encouraged if their play is being watched. Watching the events can also ignite interest in many students to become sports persons, the Prime Minister said.

Mr Modi told the award-winning teachers to be in touch with each other through social media and whatsApp groups. They would know each other better and learn about the work on which different teachers had been awarded. The Prime Minister said by forming whatsApp groups, the teachers would be happy that they have contacts in different parts of the country. These contacts can also prove useful to them, he said.

The Prime Minister said it is teachers only who can help students know or learn something extra. The parents can say they have limited means. The teachers can help correct habits of students. They can contribute something more than studies in the lives of students. This would prepare today’s generation of students to play a role in the making of Viksit Bharat (developed India), the Prime Minister said.

Mr Modi said making India a developed nation is everybody’s responsibility. “We have to collectively prepare such a manpower which works for a developed India. We have to prepare such capable citizens and youth. If we have to win 25-50 gold medals in sports in future, where will those players come from? They will come from the children you see in your schools,” the Prime Minister.