THE Department of Education has declared September 5 to October 5 as the Teachers Month and October 5 as World Teachers Day.

I have a special regard for this celebration because this is my career. I spent 48 years of my life as a dedicated teacher in High School and as a professor in the universities.

Exemplary teachers are the molders and builders of a nation -- from the young tots in kindergarten, to primary, intermediate levels to the university professional levels.

Exemplary teachers produce good doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, politicians, agriculturists, businessmen, managers, merchants, laborers, and office workers. They educate upright priests, religious nuns, and church workers. The world's populace have been under the tutelage of these dedicated teachers. Much hope and responsibility are pinned on these noble persons.

As a teacher, you deal with eager minds ready to be molded through your care and guidance . You continue to take care of the children where parents had started molding them. This is where the kids learn what are right or wrong; what is polite and impolite; what is love, respect and dignity.

Teachers, yours is a noble task. Do not falter. A teacher must not teach falsehoods, no delusions. Good dedicated teachers are visionaries of sorts, a devoted worker. Their success is not based on thick salary envelopes but on the success of the students they teach. Professor Estrada said, "to educate is to make a human being a 'real man'." Such students will populate this earth and we can be sure that they will contribute to the betterment and prosperity of their nations.

Exemplary teachers are good role models. Teachers are to be the epitome of an ideal life. No bad or wayward students will result from the breeding of such teachers. Teachers be good role models Respect begets respect. Silence begets silence or calm. A sweet smile begets a sweet smile. Goodness begets goodness.

Looking around us we see many families with problems -- poverty, broken homes, misguided parents, filthy environment, crimes, low morals, and drugs, among others. What will the teacher in school do to meet this challenge? Deal with this with compassion.

I remember calling a parent of my student because my student habitually use cass words. His parent came and angrily she started using the same cass words to scold the son. Bad example from parents, who themselves is a challenge for me. Can it be solved? Yes. With much effort and patience I was able to.