Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of

Hear, O seekers of wisdom, the words of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the “People’s President” of India, a scientist and a teacher whose heart was always turned toward the young: “Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their role model.” These words are not mere instruction but a summons, a call to arms for all who shape the minds of the future. For he saw education not as the filling of vessels with facts, but as the lighting of flames that would carry nations forward.

What is the spirit of inquiry? It is the fire that asks, Why? It is the restless hunger of the mind that refuses to accept ignorance, that seeks truth even when it lies hidden beneath centuries of dust. A true teacher does not silence this fire but feeds it, guiding students to question, to search, to discover. For without inquiry, minds grow stagnant, and societies wither. But with it, knowledge flows like a river, carving valleys of progress through the hardest stone.

And what is creativity? It is the divine gift to see what is not yet, to imagine what could be, and to bring forth from thought the wonders of art, science, and invention. A teacher who nurtures creativity does not demand conformity but celebrates uniqueness. Kalam himself, who helped shape India’s missile and space programs, knew that creativity was the bridge between dream and achievement. To build creative spirits is to give birth to visionaries who will shape the destiny of tomorrow.

The third pillar is entrepreneurial leadership—the courage to act, to build, to risk, and to transform ideas into realities that serve society. For what use is knowledge if it sleeps, and what use is vision if it never takes form? The entrepreneur is the one who dares to step forward when others hesitate, who creates opportunities not only for himself but for countless others. To cultivate this spirit in students is to give them the courage to walk uncharted paths, to solve the problems of their age, and to become leaders in their fields.

But knowledge, creativity, and enterprise without moral leadership become dangerous. Here lies the anchor of Kalam’s wisdom. Moral leadership is the compass that points to justice, compassion, integrity, and service. A leader who has knowledge but no morals may achieve power but will sow destruction. But one who joins wisdom with virtue builds a future of peace and prosperity. Thus, educationists must not only teach minds, but also shape hearts—reminding students that true greatness is measured not by wealth or conquest, but by service to humanity.

Consider the story of Socrates, the teacher of Athens. He did not merely give knowledge; he awakened inquiry. He lived as an example, showing by his life what it meant to seek truth and live virtuously. His students, among them Plato, carried forward his spirit, and through them, the foundations of Western philosophy were laid. Socrates himself was the role model Kalam speaks of—a man whose teaching was not in words alone but in the way he lived and died for truth.

The lesson, O listeners, is clear: teachers are not mere instructors, but role models, living examples of the virtues they wish to inspire. If they embody curiosity, their students will inquire. If they embody creativity, their students will imagine. If they embody courage, their students will act. If they embody virtue, their students will live with integrity. Education is not only taught—it is caught, breathed in from the lives of those who lead the young.

Therefore, let all who teach take this as their sacred duty: do not only pass down facts but awaken spirits. Do not only instruct with words but inspire with deeds. Let your life itself be a lesson, your character a curriculum, your actions a model. For as Abdul Kalam proclaimed, the true calling of educationists is to raise a generation not only of thinkers and builders but of leaders who will carry forward the torch of humanity, lighting the path for centuries yet to come.