Show love to teachers this Christmas
The clamor for a better Philippines is widespread, yet we still lag behind other countries. Throughout the nation’s movement for change, it seems that nothing has changed. There is one thing we forgot to include in our discussion of societal change: the cradle of knowledge–the teachers.
Nowadays, teachers are bombarded with a lot on their plates–from a threat to their lives, power tripping, workplace bullying, unreasonable teaching and workloads, reporting of unwanted violations, and being blamed for the low literacy and high dropout rates.
Teachers from both the public and private sectors, across all levels, shared the same dilemma. What would be even harder is promoting individuals in their institutions who did not consider their situations. Instead of listening to the requests of teachers for academic freedom and work-life balance, they are the ones who seem to be put at a disadvantage.
Teachers should have flexible working hours, as teaching requires not only physical stamina but also mental resilience, which can lead to burnout and emotional exhaustion. Yet, some institutions treat them without empathy, viewing them as employees who can be easily discarded.
There are no comprehensive efforts to ensure the safety of all the teachers in the nation. The ever-present call to review the Child Protection Policy and support for the Magna Carta for Teachers is already obsolete, as the nation is busy building up its image to meet international standardized examinations.
In the education sector, there is virtually no accountability. The lost budget cannot be retrieved. The billions of pricey laptops and gadgets are now forgotten. And yet, the audacity of the government and the people to demand the delivery of quality education to the point that those who will be suffering in the end would be the teachers.
Then, some teachers silently endure the treatment from their institutions because they have no choice but to follow. In the private sector in particular. We have heard the pleas of others for regularization, yet those who fight the system are often the first to be fired. The leaders who supposedly protect them are the ones who pushed them out.
On a larger scale, it all boils down to how the government prioritizes sectors which can give them a larger financial benefit. The majority of our nation’s politicians are hesitant to support our teachers, as they are the key to producing educated voters. When citizens are well-educated, corrupt politicians would be a thing of the past.
Furthermore, it is highly important to listen to the words of our teachers. They are the ones who experience six to eight hours of tireless teaching, pouring their best into providing positive values and knowledge to our children. They must not be burned out with the policies that will be imposed on them. Each school should contextualize its policies to suit the mental, physical, and emotional health of its teachers.
This is a crucial time to protect our teachers from harm and prioritize their needs. The government should reduce the number of class days for learners and allocate additional days for the professional development of teachers. Therefore, teachers should have weekends off and must no longer need to attend training on Saturdays. There are numerous instances, particularly in public schools, where teacher training is often held on Saturdays.
It is now a wake-up call to all that, as much as we protect the youth, we must also protect the ones who nurture them–the teachers. It is disheartening to realize that society remains unaware of the significance of teachers in nation-building. They are the ones who build the foundation of knowledge of the youth, guiding them to become better citizens and speak out against injustices in society.
Now is the time to focus on the benefits of teachers, not the gigantic benefits of our government leaders who contribute nothing to society, just their “pogi” points and presence. Philippine education is struggling because we are deaf to the true situation of our teachers and educators. They are screaming for help and empathy for their plight. They are showing their utmost dedication, but in return, they get bullied and fed up with the dysfunctional system.
Hence, school leaders should stop glamorizing the memorandum they would like to impose on our teachers. Let us help our teachers stay passionate about their craft, so they would not want to quit and pursue greener pastures abroad.
The catch is to show love to our teachers, not just to their titles. The teachers are the frontliners of knowledge, the cradle of society’s wisdom that will flow throughout the generations. It is highly important, therefore, that we love them, not punish them because our ego has been deflated when they speak up.
This calls for prioritizing safety, salary increases, and work-life balance for teachers.
—————-
Robinson B. Valenzona, a former teacher in the Department of Education, is now a faculty member at the National University Philippines.
