Teachers Day came, and it went like the breeze. Nothing significant to be said this year. Like every year, teacher’s day seems to have a small impact on anyone, especially teachers. During teachers day, most teachers work extra hard to ensure programs during teachers day would be smooth and well executed. I believe that some teachers also ‘burn the midnight oil’ during the night just to ensure that whatever was planned during the actual day would transpire into something perfect and grand, much to the pleasing eyes of the dignitaries and VVIPs, including the heads of department, heads of section etc.
Normal teachers on the other hand continue to attend meetings, key in data, shout at students for indiscipline, become the ‘pak guard‘ to smooth traffic congestion near schools etc. It’s just a normal day despite it’s world famous claim of ‘specialty‘.
On a consolation, some students are appreciative of teachers by greeting the teachers in excitement by saying ‘Happy teachers day’. Others go the extra mile by giving gifts which in years before have been said to be ‘a method of bribing the teachers’. As a teacher, I don’t anticipate any gifts from students, except probably measures to be taken by those in power to improve the teachers well being, and that includes probably more appreciation in action than just show or words.
Well, I know many are disappointed with the recent announcement. It seems that ‘those above’ continue to enjoy more perks, while ‘those in between’ continue to be left out. I’ll save my opinions on the recent announcement, but let me say just this; Teachers day would be more meaningful towards teachers if something was done to really show appreciation toward teachers. It may come in the form of pay increase for some, maybe a special assistant to lessen the burden of teachers, or perhaps a special holiday for teachers. Either way, the current celebration which actually increases the teachers work load, is something not welcomed by many teachers, and hence making many of us teachers feel reluctant to even celebrate teachers day.
To all teachers and educators, I wish you a belated happy teachers day. No matter what comes, the utmost important is the education of the children. The rest are merely bullshit.