In case you have not yet noticed, the teaching profession is in crisis.  Various challenges are being faced by the professionals who are daily charged with making a positive impact on children’s lives – the teachers in our schools. 

In my opinion, teaching is one of the noble professions. Without teaching at every level, other professions cannot exist. As they say, education is the key to everything in life. This puts teachers at the forefront of shaping minds to create more practical people, thinkers, artists, leaders and entrepreneurs. If ever there was a profession that should be respected, as much as a doctor is respected for saving lives, it should be the teaching profession.  

Unfortunately, however, some teachers, irrespective of whether they work in state, church or private schools, have realised that four years of University study and years of dedicated work with our children have not brought them the respect that they deserve.  Some say that they are stressed because of their lesson load and others because they are tired of dealing with arrogant students in class. Others will tell you that their salary is not adequate and when they come across other jobs that offer better conditions and double their present salary they leave the profession. 

At the moment, in our country, there is a bad vibe among teachers. Government, in the last few weeks, has said that the number of teachers has decreased and that it is becoming so difficult to find an adequate number of teachers to place in schools that the government is considering engaging foreign teachers. 

The Government would do well to find ways to better the conditions of the current teachers or the crisis will turn into a catastrophe. Teachers’ salaries need to be increased to reflect the invaluable work that they are doing with our children. There should also be more equality within the sector. Why shouldn’t teachers in Primary and Secondary schools have similar salaries when one considers the amount of work that they do? 

Educators provide society with the necessary skills, prepare us for our careers and instill us with moral and democratic values. They, therefore, deserve respect, not only for their professional vocation but also in terms of their working conditions and financial income.