Lincoln's letter that still speaks

Former US president Abraham Lincoln once wrote a letter to his son's teacher — not as a statesman, but as a concerned parent. In the letter written in 1830 well before he became the president, Lincoln expressed what he wished his child to learn, not merely as a student of books, but as a student of life. Let me share some lines from that letter which illustrate the true responsibilities entrusted to a teacher.

"Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and stand and fight if he thinks he is right," wrote Lincoln, in his famous letter to a teacher. "Teach him that it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him he is wrong. Teach him to listen to all men, but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through."

The former president concluded with a plea to the teacher: "This is a big order, but see what you can do."

The role of a teacher, if understood in its true sense, is nothing short of a nation-builder. A teacher does not merely deliver lessons; they enlighten minds, build character and set the morals of individuals. The word "teacher" is often reduced to a profession, a job taken up by circumstance rather than by choice.

The classroom is not simply a space for chalk and talk. It is where tomorrow's citizens learn how to think, question and live responsibly. A teacher, therefore, is more than an instructor; they are a leader — not through authority, but through influence. A good teacher does not impose knowledge but guides learners toward it, like a captain steering a ship through calm and stormy waters alike.

This leadership, however, demands more than subject mastery. It requires emotional intelligence and psychological insight. A great teacher reads what is often unsaid in the classroom: the anxiety behind indifference, the curiosity masked by silence, or the quiet struggles of a student falling behind. When students feel seen and heard, their confidence grows and learning follows naturally.

From chalkboards to smart screens, from face-to-face teaching to online learning, education has entered a new era. A teacher who clings to outdated methods risks irrelevance, while those who adopt new pedagogies, apply technology and adapt to diverse student needs remain effective treasure-troves of knowledge.

History tells us that societies rise only when they raise the stature of teachers. Japan, devastated by the Second World War, rebuilt itself not merely through industry but through education. Respect for teachers became instinctive. One report even described Japanese students avoiding stepping on a spot where a teacher's shadow had fallen — out of sheer reverence. Today, Japan excels through a culture of knowledge in which books are companions and teachers are valued as assets.

Other civilisations have shared this wisdom. Socrates, in ancient Greece, was revered not for wealth or power but for shaping minds through questioning. Centuries later, the Ottoman Empire exempted teachers from taxes and placed them among the most respected members of society. In modern times, South Korea and Finland — both celebrated for world-class education systems — accord teachers a status on a par with doctors and judges. Germany, which produced thinkers such as Hegel, Marx and Engels, built its intellectual tradition on a foundation of valuing scholarship. Nations that achieve greatness do so by recognising teachers as guardians of their social character.

The role of the teacher is one of leadership, service and national duty. Teachers must be trained to balance discipline with fairness, authority with humility, and guidance with openness. They also need to be supported with fair wages, opportunities for professional growth and the social respect their work demands. Without this, we risk leaving our children in the hands of disheartened mentors — a recipe for generational decline.

The future of every nation rests in the classroom. And within that classroom, it rests in the hands of the teacher.