There is clearly no reason or whatsoever, for persons who have devoted their lives to educating the nation and molding future generation of this nation, should not be properly and adequately celebrated.
They retire to a life of penury, even worse is the pervasive disrespect and indecency they are subjected to not only by students and parents but the state, which refuses to pay them their due and are told that their reward is in heaven.
On Wednesday, October 5, teachers celebrated the International Teachers Day. The day was chosen as the international day to honour teachers, because it was on that same date in 1966 that a special intergovernmental meeting accepted the United Nations, Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) Recommendation on the Status of Teachers.
For teachers in Ghana, celebrating this day is merely about the yearly routine which entails assembling them appreciating and may include honouring them for their special contributions in a particular field of area or the community in general.
We of this newspaper believe that teachers deserve more; as such, the main focus of the celebration of Teachers ought to be implementing fully the promises made to teachers are fulfilled.
Teachers day, should be a day where the government must review the conditions of service of teachers, it would also not be out of place for us as a country to begin to consider making that day a public holiday, in honour of our hardworking, selfless teachers, who are sacrificing everything for a reward in heaven.
While there is a long list of challenges to be addressed and ticked off for teachers in Ghana, starting with this issue of a public holiday, will suffice and lead the way for other matters to be equally addressed.
A day, has been set aside for farmers, that day is a public holiday, this is so because we appreciate the role farmers play in our national life. A good farmer, can be a product of a teacher, so why not do same for teachers also.
As we join the rest of the world to commemorate world teachers day, we support every measure that will ensure personal fulfillment for the Ghanaian teacher.
