Professionalise teaching

Editor, RE: “The need to rethink our education system” (The New Times, January 21). As a retired teacher with 45 years of experience, I am finding that this is the article we should all— policymakers, teachers, students and every single one of us who was or still is involved in the education sector—undoubtedly consider seriously. As you so strategically point out, the teaching profession in our developing countries is more often than not taken as a second option rather than a fully-fledged profession. The reason is simple—the job does not compensate those who have the desire to teach. Usually, good teachers come in but leave within a few years to venture into other better paying professions. This has to stop. Excellent teachers must be continuously trained, well compensated, and above all, the profession as you put it, has to be elevated to equal other professions. Otherwise, we will continue to see mediocre results because we cannot retain excellent teachers. Jackson

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Professionalise teaching