Celebrating World Teachers’ Day

Across the globe, October 5 of every year is observed as Teachers’ Day. It is a known fact that without the light, hard surface of the earth will be in obscurity. Without teachers, development of any form can never greet a nation. They are the nation builders, destiny moulders, among others. The impact of teachers can never be undervalued. 

A professional teacher can be said to be an individual who is saddled with the responsibility to inculcate knowledge, customs, cultures, morals into students to enable them to become of good value and useful to the society.  

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However, parents, pastors, prophets, alfas among others are also teachers so far they instil knowledge in people in one way or the other. This means teaching is not only limited to the one carried out within the four walls of the classroom.  

Lawyers, doctors, engineers, soldiers, politicians are products of teachers. As doctor heals, teacher does as well. Some many are teachers but few are professional teachers.  

The assertion that teachers’ reward is in heaven is what is chasing majority of the  people away from the profession and this may affect the country in the future. 

In Nigeria, the cogent reason why teaching profession is eschewed by modern youths is as a result of their low remuneration.  

Therefore, I  plead with the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and all the 36 state governors to have a critical thinking on the ways to increase the salaries of teachers under their employment.  

They are underpaid, they need also to be remunerated in line with how the nurse, who renders life-saving treatment are being paid.  

I wish to also congratulate our teachers on the occasion of this Day.  

Olayode Inaolaji, Ogbomoso, wrote from Oyo State, [email protected]