By CrossRiverWatch Admin
Teachers day is a special day dedicated to all teachers, it is celebrated every year on the 5th of October to honor the teachers and appreciate their special contributions towards education.
The first teachers day was celebrated in India in 1962.
The role of teachers in everyone’s life is great as they are the only usual source of knowledge for their pupils and students. Teachers plants seeds of knowledge that grow for ever.
It is a blessing to be a teacher. So all of you my friends around the globe who are teachers you are indeed Blessed.
This is a tribute to acknowledge all the teachers who have put in so much of their time in preparing their lessons.
Mind you my friends, those of you who are not teachers; It is not an easy task to handle the whole class of pupils or students.
I have taught in two schools and where I currently teach is my third in Ugep area of central Cross River State.
Teaching is not everyone’s cup of tea. Those who are in the teaching profession need a lot of patience.
We have pupils or students with different characters. We need to be dedicated to our job.
The plight of the Nigerian teacher is pitiful as many of them have died of hunger, diseases and out of frustration.
If teachers are not appreciated and recognized, it would make our children not to be teachers in future.
Nigerian teachers are demotivated because their remuneration is abysmally low.
In the past, teachers were motivated and had no option than to perform. But today, teachers pay is so low that most of them can barely put food on their tables after settling their children’s school fees, utilities and medical bills.
Teachers are at the center of the educational configuration but they are denied, deprived and depressed.
To redress the situation, teachers must attract a genuine professional status and be paid a special scale to address their social and financial disenfranchisement.
The Nigerian teacher needs a special salary structure, as is obtainable in the nursing profession so that teachers will have passion and interest in the profession.
Teachers are core nation builders. But, doctors are paid higher than teachers, meanwhile without teachers there is no doctor.
Remember, without teachers, there wouldn’t be doctors, presidents, journalists, bankers, barristers etc.
Odey Ojeka, A historian, private teacher and CrossRiverWatch correspondent, writes from Ugep.
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