Are we paying our teachers fairly?
A teacher is a very important person in a student’s life. He/she affects the child’s mind and personality in different ways. We often look up to our teachers and many of us consider them our role models. As a student, I remember looking at my Principal as one of the most intelligent persons I had ever met. I even dreamt of opening up my own school as I was inspired by my Principal’s profession!
But are we paying our teachers well? Are we treating them the way they deserve to be treated? It’s very sad that a Montessori teacher who cares for our children like a mother is often paid as little as ten or twenty thousand! Private schools might be paying slightly more but they are not doing justice either.
Teachers are often given a lot of workloads. They are not only teaching students but are given duties like organizing events, preparing school bulletin boards, taking extra classes when a teacher is absent etc. Some teachers hardly get any time to sit and rest because during free classes they have to check notebooks. At the end of the day, the teacher has to make sure that each student has written his/her diary properly, the classroom is left in a tidy manner and he/she stays till all his/her class students have left for home.
Especially private schools where teachers are accountable for their student’s final results, there should be a lot of compensation for teachers. Giving free education to teacher’s children is a very good strategy. But they should be paid in accordance to their efforts. A person who grooms your child looks after them like a mother, shows genuine concern about your child’s education and emotional, physical and mental growth, deserves to be paid well. Every effort should be made by the school administration and parents to make them feel how important they are. For instance, if a parent owns a fitness club, the school can request the parent to arrange for some special weekend classes for their teachers where they can unwind and relax. The government should give special discount to teachers whether they are teaching in private schools or public schools. For example, teachers with ID cards should be entitled to discount for public facilities such as public transport, medical facilities etc.
A nation that values its teachers will make its children realize the importance of its teachers and education alike. It is so unfortunate to see how students are becoming quite disrespectful towards their teachers today. With the influence of the West there is a lack of discipline in schools nowadays and as a result, students do not respect their teachers the way they used to.
As far as public schools are concerned there is a proper mechanism in place for a teacher’s pay scale and rate. However, it must be reviewed and revised to reflect current market conditions i.e. it should be adjusted for inflation. As for private schools, there is no proper system. Every school sets the pay rate at their convenience. Hence, a system should be in place to keep a check on the pay rate and how it changes over time. For example, the rate at which school fee is raised every year this must be added to the teacher’s pay also.
We must acknowledge our teachers who are educating the future of the nation. This education does not only include worldly education but it also involves moral, social and religious education and one cannot put a price on that. If we cannot pay them accordingly the least we can do is value them and respect them for their hard work.
