Spend quality time with your children instead of showering them with expensive gifts, former President Pranab Mukherjee advised parents on Tuesday.

Mukherjee was speaking at the valedictory function of the silver jubilee celebrations of Sushila Birla Girls’ School at Vidya Mandir auditorium on Tuesday.

“You have to give them presents. You have to keep them happy. But I can assure you they will be much more happy if you can spare your costlier time for them. One of the major problems today is the parents are too busy for their children,” said Mukherjee, the chief guest on the occasion.

He also had a word of advice for teachers. “They should share their invaluable knowledge, wisdom and philosophy of life with the students. Rote learning and various smartphone applications cannot teach as much as an individual teacher can do,” he added, urging students to march on towards greater empowerment.

Empowerment was the theme of the year-long celebrations of the school’s milestone. Students, parents, ex-students and teachers of the school presented a play, Her Story, for the annual concert focusing on the girl child. “It was a tribute to poet-author Maya Angelou. We believe our girls are already empowered and should take the initiative to empower others,” said Rubena Chatterjee, the co-curricular coordinator of the school.

Pranab Mukherjee lights the lamp of knowledge on Friday as (from left, after Mukherjee) Vidya Mandir Society’s trustee S Birla, chairman SK Birla, secretary-general Brigadier VN Chaturvedi and (extreme right) Sushila Birla Girls’ School principal Sharmila Bose look on Picture by B. Halder

In October, the school organised an inter-school quiz on women authors.

Mukherjee on Tuesday urged the girls to continue fanning their curiosities and be co-partners in development.

“Young minds energise us. We feel the future of the country is safe in their hands,” Mukherjee told the audience.

The enrolment of girls in primary classes in schools has increased, but the challenge is to retain them at the secondary level, the former President said. “We need to ensure the girls stay in school.”

Mukherjee added that education and proper nutrition of girls would transform the society. “Women form an essential half of society. Unfortunately this half is often neglected…. Education is a powerful tool for social emancipation.”

The programme on Tuesday saw Sushila Birla girls present two powerful dance performances. Watching them were former and present students.

“It’s a pleasure to be back in school. I am from the first batch. All the alumni committee members are here,” said Shruti Daga, the secretary of the alumni committee.

A book commemorating the 25th year was also launched on the occasion.

Principal Sharmila Bose said the school’s mission to empower would continue. “I want my students to be confident, empathetic and proud of their identity when they leave school. They need to realise that for every girl who studies here, there are 100 others who did not get such an opportunity,” she said.