Teaching’s harrowing experience

Tshwarelo Hosia | Monday September 21, 2026 06:00

Theirs is a daunting responsibility that can lead to a burn out. The job of teaching is a harrowing experience, made even more painful by the mere fact that even recipients of their services are reluctant customers.

Execution of the mission of teaching takes a heavy toll on the educators because it does not only require the technical prowess of transmitting the curriculum but also mastery of the soft skills needed to smoothen human interactions.

To deliver the content, a teacher digs deep to draw from their inner most souls reserves of mercifulness, emotional intelligence perseverance and kindness. This is the more reason why teachers deserve love. They give away so much love and love given somehow ought to be returned and energies lost replenished.

It is in this context that the subject of recognition of those who toil day and night to teach our children becomes fundamentally critical. Recognition is even felt more deeply and profoundly when made publicly not just in lyricism but in tangible and practical terms.

Love is a beautiful movement. Teachers deserve it. And this is not negotiable. It is a movement whose impact is immediate and swift. It energises the soul, awakens shattered dreams and hopes and above all gives teachers a sense of pride in their profession and reason to go back to work the next day.

Love makes a profound and indelible mark when expressed not only in lyrics and poetic terms but when demonstrated in action. The nation owes the teaching profession not only improved remuneration and incentive packages but also a big thank you and unconditional love. This is a profession that takes away from the teacher and yet returns very little.

If the economy may not support improved remuneration, but love, which is a free gift from God should be permitted to lead and freely flow. For far too long, teachers have been carrying on their shoulders the heavy weight and humiliation of under appreciation or at worst the feeling of being unloved and uncared for.

More often than not when the sponsor thinks of extending a hand of benevolence to the school, there is a bias towards inspiring the students. This is not a bad thing because students are more fragile and delicate than the teachers handling them. But it should be borne in mind that students in the classroom theatre are not on autopilot.

They are driven by their teachers who equally deserve attention. Needless to mention that teaching involves a triangular relationship and harmony between the teacher, student and content.

Each component of the matrix is critically important. If resources do not permit rewarding every teacher for the personal sacrifices made, recognition of isolated islands of academic prosperity should not be missed.

There is a drought of academic prosperity across the length and breadth of the country but resources should be spared to incentivise and rewards regions which show up and do the business well amidst adversity.

Under the current adverse economic climate outstanding academic performance is not resourced based. The only resource showing resilience and tenacity is the human factor.

Exceptional academic performance can only be attributed to the enterprising and indefatigable spirit of the teaching troops. It takes human personal sacrifices for seriously under resourced schools to make classroom instruction the number top priority ahead of other considerations.

Making everyone in the school down play glaring problems of shortage of critical teaching and learning inputs, under appreciation even when there is clear return on investments takes courage and a totalitarian commitment to the cause.

Islands of academic excellence deserve to be recognised for their heroic and patriotic services. The biggest plea is that promotions should be anchored on meritocracy. It is quite discouraging for teachers whose performances are far above the precincts of mediocrity to be languishing at one grade for over a decade.

There should be movement upward to recognise special talent and courage to navigate all odds to ensure that our children are taught and taught well. Honouring meritocracy is the only vehicle that can strengthen the morale of the teaching troops and restoration of the much needed sense of pride in the teaching profession.

Above all it is important to do everything to preserve islands of academic excellence - the bulwarks of professionalism and rigorous instructional regimen. Once professionalism and glory are lost it is difficult to achieve movement towards restoration. Even in hard times resources should be spared towards the lifeline project of upgrading pedagogical standards.

Teaching is the last stand on earth, a powerful force to eliminate poverty and deprivation, to equalise children born of privilege and those of underprivilege. If the teaching profession loses its grip, there is no place to run to. Finally we say hats off to those who are doing a lot to recognise publicly the daring exploits of teachers who were under the worst of circumstances. May God bless the noble profession and those who see its true value!