Teachers praised for hard work

Staff Writer | Tuesday June 7, 2022 06:00

One of the guest speakers at the commemoration held at Mputhe Junior Secondary School (JSS) in Letlhakeng, chairperson of the Scouts in the SADC region, Ezekiel Zack Malenya applauded teachers for the sacrifices they make to ensure that the nation is educated.

“It’s my pleasure to be addressing you on this special day. A day set aside to celebrate special people. A day to recognise people who are the torchbearers of our nation,” said Malenya, who is also the director of Botswana Book Project.

“We say ‘thank you teachers for the work you do’. We are who we are because of our teachers. Had it not been for teachers, all of us here would not be holding the positions we are in.”

Malenya noted this year’s theme resonates well with what the world is grappling with, adding that teachers are at the forefront of these shocks.

He said it is teachers who have been hard hit by COVID-19, adding they lost and continue to lose comrades due to the pandemic.

“Our noble job is no longer enjoyable because teachers are uncertain of the next day. We are, however, able to pull through because of our resilient nature. Today’s workforce needs people who are as resilient as teachers. Teachers swim through COVID-19 everyday as they interact with hundreds of their students in an endeavour to teach the nation. We must be mindful dear teachers that COVID-19 is still a threat and as such we have to be vigilant at all times. Some of our colleagues seem to be letting their guns down,” Malenya said.

“They no longer wear masks or sanitise. Be reminded that when you do that, you are compromising hugely on our safety. Comrades, COVID-19 has had debilitating effects on teaching and learning. Disruption of lessons because teachers or students have gone in isolation. Disruption of teaching schedules leads to low student attainment, low morale, low productivity, and fear.”

He further said: “Comrades, just like in scout, we need people who have integrity, people who care for one another. I, therefore, call upon each and everyone to be each other’s keeper. We need to care for each other because COVID-19 has brought a lot of mental distress. It is therefore imperative to take care of our mental health. We can only achieve that if we support one another and stand by each other. Like they say ‘united we stand and divide we fall’. “Our passion for educating the nation should not in any way be impaired by the COVID-19 challenge. Remember that ‘a person is not measured by the number of challenges they encountered on the way, but by how they reached their destination'. Our destination is ‘delivering a 21st Century learner’. I want to challenge you, teachers, that what everybody sees as a challenge, we should see it as an opportunity. We have gone too far to give up now. Our destiny is within reach, let us march on. Let us hold each other by the hand and say to each, ‘we cannot be stopped by COVID-19 from attaining our mission’. Like soldiers, we march towards the enemy.”

Malenya, through the Botswana Book Project, donated books to all 35 schools within the Letlhakeng sub-district.

“Each school will receive 1,000 reading, research, and motivational books and I pledge to bring 3,500 solar study lights as a motivation to the students and teachers,” he said.