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TEACHERS A MEANS TO AN END

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Sir,

I have no doubt that teachers have their own space in this earth, and certainly no other creature can replace them. Teachers as caring fathers and mothers have nurtured, mentored and fished out many of us from the wilderness, making huge differences in our lives.


Through their hands, creation has never ceased, but is an ongoing process, be it an executive officer, entrepreneur, Cabinet minister, front desk personnel in a government department and many more.


Notwithstanding what other professions do and contribute to economic output, teachers should forever be revered for their unfaltering commitment in this mean job. I have no doubt that our economy orbits in teachers’ hands as they are factory shells of human capital.
Agree with me therefore in saying we would be skeletons of what we are in streets had it not been for these parent substitutes.


For once, let’s be liberal with the truth. Results of the monster policy (automatic progression) introduced by the ministry are clear to all with a weird 80-90 per cent fail rate in Forms III and V in the year 2015 and 2016. Expect the same or worse even in 2017.


Teachers as judges of achievements of learner performances have been sidelined, giving room to a psycho-disorder policy. Failing a class, inasmuch as it hurts the parent of a repeating pupil, the same can be said of the teacher responsible for that class.


The bottom line is, it is a decision meant to develop the child fully, and not destroy him. It is my firm belief that a teacher’s objective and near accurate judgment of a learner’s achievement goes far beyond the learner ‘self development programme’ but overlaps to the attainment of national goals. That is when we can speak of First World as attainable and in the right hands.


Beautiful Swaziland, as we draw closer to First World status, let’s not be brainwashed of what teachers have done for this small kingdom. We are savouring the tranquility of unity and peace partly because teachers have been preaching this gospel in classrooms.


Pretty much the same with vision 2022, teachers as agents of social change, will replicate the same spirit considering that it’s where the future labour force is sourced. Arresting the minds of their learners towards this vision is vital. Rather than being end to the means, teachers are a means to an end.


They breathe reality into learners’ far-fetched dreams inspite of their differences in social class and racial group. Collectively, these goals transcend to national goals, such as the paraded vision 2022. Logic dictates then that as Swaziland strives to leap off the jaws of poverty, the scourge of HIV/AIDS, political unrest etc, teachers should remain exceptional media instruments that reverberate nothing but success in each of these areas.
When you are appreciated particularly in your line of duty, you go beyond expectations.

We know our worth as teachers. The onus is now on you, including our government, to be facts-charged and appreciate teachers’ value in communities. Yes, the torment would be felt, but it will save this budding kingdom the pedagogical decay capable of making Swaziland a history soon.

Mndvoti S

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