“You studied long and hard just to be a teacher?”

Jun 11, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Kindly permit me some space to bring to the attention of the public an overlooked, under-appreciated profession. I had a conversation recently with a young lady I taught three subjects at the CSEC level. She innocently asked me if I “studied so long and hard to be just a teacher.” I shrugged off the question. But this really is a very concerning statement – ‘just a teacher’.
I know the young lady consciously meant nothing by this but she voiced something that a lot of people are thinking. As a society we do not think teachers are equivalent to doctors, lawyers, engineers and we fail to realise that it takes a strong, patient teacher to produce these individuals.
PERHAPS the reasoning of ‘just a teacher’ comes from the way teachers are paid and treated. The question “How much do you make?” is often asked in an effort to correlate the successfulness of a profession. PERHAPS if teachers are paid better this view of ‘just a teacher’ would change. PERHAPS if the government stops pussyfooting with the promised salary increases, teachers will be on their way to being more than ‘just a teacher’.
It’s ironic and insulting to put the word ‘just’ in front of any profession. Never bite the hand that feeds you, right? Editor, how would you feel if I told you, you’re just a journalist? I guess until the shoe is on our foot we do not really appreciate its fitting. So today permit me some space to salute the teachers. Salute to all the teachers in the struggle to make our nation a literate one. Salute to these meek soldiers who are appreciated on October 5. Just a teacher.
Jamain Hatton

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News