AS 2020, an ignominious virus-laden grim year, draws to a close, in its wakes it leaves a trail of destruction and human carnage unprecedented in the annals of recorded human history.
In every avenue of human endeavour, brave front-line first responders fearlessly confronted the invisible biological intruder, among them, our dedicated teachers. Our teachers are probably some of the most undervalued people in society and often criticised for being ineffective or chastised for no valid reason.
During this time of challenge, we stand in reverence of our teachers’ fearless and selfless efforts in this unprecedented pandemic. From embracing remote learning opportunities to providing emergency child care, our teachers have stepped up to the plate. During a crisis, assumptions start to fall apart and people start to question things they had previously taken for granted.
Teachers fall into this category, taken for granted until we were forced to confront the essential role they play in our children’s lives.This Earth-shaking event of 2020 changed the landscape of education. It fuelled a much greater appreciation for virtual learning as a supportive mechanism.
Our teachers and educators had demonstrated repeatedly amid this virulent pandemic their commitment to their children in the classroom. It was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who said: “A good teacher is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way for others”.
Our teachers play a very important role, they have been our role models, our inspiration and parent-figures outside of our home who taught us many lessons about life. It was William Butler Yeats who offered these profound words: “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire”.
Our educators are putting in thrice the amount of work and effort to curate e-learnings curriculums that ensure their students are not suffering academically. In a pandemic environment, teachers have had to adapt from the comfortable norm of being in command in a classroom full of students, to being pale shadows of themselves as small blips on a tiny screen.
We are all aware of the tremendous fortitude displayed by doctors and nurses during the pandemic, what has been overlooked is the robust performance of the teaching fraternity. Sadly, on many occasions dedicated teachers were belittled and reviled by parents during this pandemic.
Their impact upon our precious growing children is obviously infinite. As Henry Brooks Adams said, “a teacher affects eternity”. It is clearly time to sing the praises of the unsung heroes, our teachers.
A grateful nation salutes you all. You will always remain eternal symbols of individual excellence.
FAROUK ARAIE, JOHANNESBURG.
The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Independent Media.