Teachers: Our Forgotten Heroes.

Teaching role or teaching as an occupation to me has been one of the most undervalued occupations, and my reason is that with each passing of time, the number of teachers or those willing to pass this knowledge decreases. I just remember a time when I wanted to be like my school teacher, who had taught me biology. He was very patient with me, and I guess he had also liked my personality too, because I eventually became the Laboratory Prefect.

I remember how he was very perfect at teaching, and I had always wondered if I would be able to do the same. At one point in time, I was even considering teaching as an occupation, but when I found out that they are underpaid, I took a U-turn because I needed money to fuel my passion.

I went to a government secondary school, and I knew then that there was this belief that students from such schools are dullards, but I know that was not the case, as you are what you say you are. There are good and bad days. For instance, on a good day, everywhere is quiet and calm, while on a bad day, students are running for their lives due to fighting and so on. Just like every school, I had a teacher called “Master”, he was highly feared and respected by students of the school, and I do remember many instances where he was responsible for preventing alot of riots.

Occasionally, I had the opportunity to examine Master’s life outside school as he was one of the few teachers staying around the school area (My Biology favourite was staying far away then). Surprisingly, his presence still had a significant effect on students, even outside the school area, and this shows that even beyond the school premises, a teacher’s role never ends. His presence alone calms every storm in the school, and he can diffuse or resolve issues, even when it involves external students.

Some might argue that Master was feared and not respected, or vice versa. However, one thing I can not argue with is that he affected all his students. I might have been younger than you, but one thing it made me understand is that only you and you alone can set the standard of your life.

Therefore, a teacher’s role does not end inside the classroom, and they can have the authority to discipline their students outside the school premises because if you spare the rod, you spoil the child. Should teachers be protected outside the school premises if said discipline does not go as planned? Yes, because they are the ones to protect these children inside the school’s premises. So protect them, so they can protect our futures outside.