In an article in India Today (7 August 2025), Megha Chaturvedi portrays a gloomy picture of a lack of teachers, unqualified teachers who are presently teaching, unwillingness for qualified teachers to teach, lack of dignity in work, and other reasons. She warns that the next generation may grow up without real mentors. There are one million (ten lakh) teaching positions vacant.
Teaching children: The Law of Moses mandates that children should be taught the Word of God at home. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) Parents should write on the doorposts (at that time, there were no ready-made verses sold in Christian bookshops). It could be understood that the parents should be literate, able to read and write. Hence, the Jewish nation became highly literate with the knowledge of God.
Monasteries: The Christian monasteries and nunneries in Europe were an oasis amid a corrupt, unstable, and violent environment in Medieval Times. Diligently, they copied the Bible, and they opened their institution for teaching those who wanted to study, read, and write. Also, they took care of the sick, abandoned, and helpless.
Mission strategy: Taking a cue from the monasteries, the missionaries who went around the world did the same: opened schools to create intelligent citizens, and opened hospitals to serve the sick. Millions of schools, colleges, universities, community colleges, and other institutions were pioneered, established, and flourished around the world. Teachers’ training institutes, nursing schools, and medical colleges were started to provide skilled professionals to run the education and medical institutions.
Nationalism and governments: As education spread through the efforts of missionaries, the concepts of Equality, Liberty, Fraternity, and Freedom came into the consciousness of people. Hence, there were movements demanding independence, and most nations gained independence after World War II. These governments regulated or took over the education and health services. Or outsourced to private agencies, who commercialised and commodified the services. Hence, both became expensive, unaffordable to many, and the poor are neglected.
American dreams: Most young Christians, instead of discerning God’s will, fell prey to the American dream, hence the lack of teachers.
Am I doing God’s will or chasing world dreams?