Teachers’ Day 2026: PM Modi Urges Teachers To Watch For Drug Addiction, Reduce Children’s Screen Time | VIDEO

New Delhi, September 5, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with National Teachers’ Awards winners on the eve of Teachers’ Day, urging educators to be vigilant about drug addiction in students and encourage children to spend less time in front of screens. In an interaction at the Prime Minister’s Lok Kalyan Marg residence, Modi emphasized preserving childhood and nurturing students' natural curiosity.

He suggested teachers find creative ways to make classroom learning more engaging and shift focus beyond academic performance to observe students' behavior and everyday lives. "Screen time has now become a form of addiction," Modi noted, adding that children's interest in sports could help curb excessive screen time.

Teachers are playing a crucial role in children's lives due to the decreasing prevalence of joint family setups, Modi highlighted. He emphasized the importance of teachers noticing any changes in a child's behavior that might not be immediately apparent. Addressing the issue of drug addiction, Modi acknowledged that identifying affected individuals could be challenging in some areas, as it can be difficult to ascertain who is providing substances to whom.

The Prime Minister stressed that teachers should initiate awareness programs and closely monitor any behavioral changes in their students. In his speech, Modi called for teachers to actively engage with students' lives beyond academics and prevent childhood from disappearing. He also advocated for reducing students' screen time and encouraging them to participate in outdoor sports. Modi stressed that children possess the same basic nature and curiosity, and teachers can nurture and channel this curiosity effectively.

Modi further discussed the need to limit screen time and recommended sports, physical games, and creative activities as alternatives to excessive screen usage. He mentioned the National Education Policy, which emphasizes taking children outside the classroom to connect them with real-world skills and various forms of work. The interaction also praised a teacher who focused on breast cancer awareness among women in her community and highlighted that Modi's breast cancer awareness campaign in Varanasi had received a Guinness World Record for encouraging more women to undergo breast cancer screening.