Chandigarh: On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday honoured 79 teachers for their outstanding contributions to the field of education at a state-level Teachers’ Samman Samaroh organised by the School Education Department in Panchkula.
Each of the honoured teachers received a cash award of Rs 1 lakh, a  medal, a shawl and two advance increments.
Addressing the function, Governor Ghosh congratulated all the awardees and said that the honour was not merely a recognition of individual achievement, but a tribute to the entire teaching community, the education system and the bright future of Haryana. 
In his address, Chief Minister Saini announced that from the upcoming academic session, teachers associated with higher education, technical education, and technology education will also be honored with the State Teacher Award. Currently, this award is conferred only upon teachers associated with school education. He added that it is the government's priority to encourage all teachers who make outstanding contributions to the field of education.
He said that the day also marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the great teacher and former President of India, who dedicated his birthday to teachers. Therefore, his birth anniversary is celebrated as Teachers’ Day. He was a great philosopher, an ideal teacher, and an able statesman.
The Chief Minister observed that times are changing rapidly. Artificial Intelligence, robotics, digital technology, and the internet have opened countless avenues for accessing knowledge. Children can now obtain information with a single click, but there is a difference between information and wisdom. A machine can provide information, but it cannot instill values. AI can prepare a lesson plan, but it cannot place a reassuring hand on the shoulder of a disheartened child and inspire confidence. Only a teacher can perform this role. Therefore, in the age of technology, the role of teachers has not diminished; rather, it has become even more important.
Saini stated that the budget for school education for the current financial year has been increased to Rs 18,538 crore, compared to Rs 8,400 crore in 2014-15. To expand access to quality education across the state, the number of Model Sanskriti Schools has been increased to 218. In addition, 251 PM SHRI Schools have been developed, while 250 schools are being developed as CM-EEE Schools this year. These schools will provide students studying in both Hindi and English medium with better opportunities for modern and quality education. Similarly, 719 Schools of Excellence have been opened to provide children with better educational opportunities closer to their homes. To promote sports alongside academics, playgrounds are being developed in 3,328 schools, with Rs 1 lakh being provided to each school for this purpose. Furthermore, one school in every district is being developed as a Centre of Excellence for sports.
 He added that a new teacher transfer policy has been implemented to ensure greater transparency in the transfer process and special emphasis is also being placed on the continuous professional development of teachers. For this purpose, a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Framework has been prepared in collaboration with expert institutions. Two phases of teacher training under the ‘Nipun Haryana’ programme have already been completed, and approximately 32,000 Primary Teachers (PRTs) are scheduled to undergo training next month.