Latest update January 15th, 2025 3:45 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

The teaching profession is falling into disrepute

Jun 12, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
Tell me what in the world we can say about the recent spate of sexual acts committed by teachers in the Georgetown area, and the many others that go unnoticed and unreported in the Berbice area, except that there are too many young teachers who are in the system?
The Teaching Service Commission (TSC), which is the body that hires and fires teachers, is recruiting too many young people into the system.
At present, it would be very interesting to know the statistics of the various age groups of our current teachers in the profession here in Guyana.
We have teenagers just out of high school returning to their former schools to teach. We have young boys and girls who have not had any breathing space whatsoever after completing their high school studies being employed and dealing with the children of Guyana.
The result is what is happening in the various schools in Georgetown. As I said, those are the cases that are regularly reported. What about the ones that aren’t reported?
Then look at the way some of our female teachers dress. They dress to entice the eyes and hormones of the young boys that they teach.
The male teachers do not have much of a problem with dress, but it is the female teachers who are many-a-time guilty of being provocatively dressed at work.
What can these teenagers bring to a system which is already bursting at its seams with teachers between the ages of 17 to 20? I believe entrance to the Teachers’ Training College (CPCE) is mandatory for these young and inexperienced teachers. It’s very important that they be equipped with the skills to deal with today’s children in and out of the classrooms.
Children will have little or no respect for teachers who are teenagers and who are barely adults. That, if you ask me, spells disaster.
It is very sad to hear about the cases of sexual acts being committed by teachers in Georgetown, especially since I myself am a teacher.
I started teaching at the age of 19, and immediately entered college. I have grown and matured in the profession even after six years.
I wouldn’t do things now that I may have considered doing back then.
There is the Pastoral Care (PC) programme, which should have been bringing forth results since it has been implemented in nearly all schools in Guyana. So, where are the results?
The Ministry will be trying something which is sort of like a spin-off to the PC curriculum, which is the Health and Family Life programme that kicks in September.
Teachers need to realise the important job ahead of them when dealing with people’s children.
They need to put every hindrance out of the way and do exactly what they are paid to do — teach, and nothing else.
Most of the waking hours of children are spent with their teachers, but some teachers use that time to their advantage, like what is currently happening in some Georgetown schools.

Of course, teachers alone are not to be blamed for these instances of sexual abuse, but it is the teacher who is the professional — not the student.
Therefore, they should (as we say in Guyana) ‘know better’. A teacher is said to be for students ‘In loco parentis’ [Latin for in the place of a parent].
And they should have parental relationships with children — nothing further. These events will only make persons have lesser respect for our teachers in Guyana.
Leon Jameson Suseran

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 13th, 2025

 

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

National basketball team down to 15 after intense trials

National basketball team down to 15 after intense trials

Jan 15, 2025

Kaieteur Sports-  After two gruelling days of trials at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the Guyana National Basketball Team has been narrowed down to 15 players, signalling the first step towards a...
Read More
Terrence Ali National Open schedule to fist off this Friday

Terrence Ali National Open schedule to fist off...

Jan 15, 2025

Foreign Link players call for Darts Association to step up

Foreign Link players call for Darts Association...

Jan 15, 2025

Race for GFF Elite League qualification narrows down to final four

Race for GFF Elite League qualification narrows...

Jan 15, 2025

BCB organize practice session for female cricketers to select teams for county duty

BCB organize practice session for female...

Jan 15, 2025

Archery Guyana makes history with Physiotherapist at Nationals

Archery Guyana makes history with Physiotherapist...

Jan 15, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]