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Educators sick of dull pupils, poor pay and lack of help

Teacher's desk. Picture Credit: Pixabay
Teacher's desk. Picture Credit: Pixabay

Over a decade ago Sizwe* had a choice to choose between becoming a librarian or a teacher, he opted for the latter.

"It was not a difficult decision to make for me because of my love and passion for teaching. And generally I love education, children and ploughing back to the community, so it was an easy choice for me," Sizwe said.

As the world celebrates World Teachers' Day today, Sizwe said the passion that propelled him to become an educator 19 years ago had since died. He has been a teacher for 14 years, and said the first years of his career were bliss.

"In the past three years the passion has died," he said.

And this has been caused by the endless challenges that come with the job. But the biggest one for him was how the new crop of pupils have no interest in their studies.

"Learners are not motivated; they don't care and only a few of them have ambition to succeed," he said.

"When I joined the profession there was a spirit of competition among learners, and they gave their all to succeed. Now you have to beg learners to do their school work, you literally have to run after them to submit projects. And that is not only draining but it does not motivate you as an educator."

He said he had seen colleagues literally crying because pupils did not produce their school work.

The lack of discipline and high absenteeism had also not been assisting, this coupled with what Sizwe described as "lack of support from the education department".

"I have been teaching at my current school for three years, and for one of the subjects that I teach - which is English - learners have never had textbooks.

"I'm the only one who has a textbook and I have to make photocopies for the learners and sometimes the papers to photocopy run out," he said, adding that the lack of resources does not make the job of being an educator easy and fulfilling.

For teachers like Sizwe, there is not much to celebrate today as the profession no longer gives them satisfaction. But even with all the challenges that ca me with being a teacher, Sizwe had not thought of leaving the profession.

"Teaching is my life. It's the only thing that I know," he said.

"What keeps me going is one or two learners who are ambitions and want to succeed, and to also have learners coming up to me when they have progressed in life to say, 'Mfundisi, thank you for the role you have played in my life', that keeps me motivated."

For Themba*, teaching was never his preferred career but because of circumstances he had no choice but to become a teacher.

"I wanted to be a lawyer but because I came from a disadvantaged background I could not afford university fees, and the person who funded me could only afford to take me to a teachers college," he said.

He has been a teacher for 20 years and said he had never had any joy in the profession. He said this had been exacerbated by the fact that there were many challenges, such as lack of resources, poor pay and lack of discipline by pupils. "It's not nice being a teacher and it does not help that government does not care about our well-being," he said.

He said it was discouraging to see youngsters who grew up before his eyes went on to become successful people because they chose careers in the private sector.

"As a teacher, you can't even afford a decent house because of the money we get paid. If you want to buy a R500000 house you must be prepared to go to bed hungry because as a teacher you can't afford that house," he said.

Nombuso* has been a teacher for only six years and she regrets ever making the decision to become one.

For her, the biggest headache is that the Department of Basic Education expects quality results but does not provide resources to make sure that this happens.

"I mean if I'm expected to teach multi-grades - which comes with so much workload - where are you going to get quality education. Yoh! It's difficult being a teacher."

She said she no longer has time to complain and just does what she can do. "Nowadays I just tell myself that I have a job and I get paid at the end of the month. I really do not care any more because our government does not appreciate us," she said.

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) proclaimed today World Teachers' Day 22 years ago. The day is meant to raise awareness, understanding and appreciation for the contribution that teachers make.

*Not their real names

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