Celebrating Teachers Day

As we mark yet another Teacher's Day, we must reflect on the realities that our teachers are grappling with.

It's an undeniable fact that over the years significant improvements have been made to better the status and working conditions of teachers. These include salary increment, building of more staff quarters, allowances, among other incentives provided to them.

However, we firmly believe that if there is any sector that needs more priority attention, teachers' welfare is one area that should be given adequate attention. They (teachers) produce presidents, ministers, doctors, journalists, among others, to be what they are today.

Teachers need more incentives and recognition for their hard work.

For teachers' retention, we must ensure that the field is made lucrative for them.

Pay them well and improve their general welfare, the end result would be great.

Teaching field we are told is the highest sector in terms of employment in the country's public sector.

Such group of people therefore falls under a very important sector that must be encouraged to measure up to expectations.

Wherever you go, you find them contributing their quota to national development. We are indeed proud of Gambian teachers.

One thing that we find unimaginable is the never-ending workshops at school management levels.

It has been realised that head teachers have been attending a series of workshops during the last academic year.

This is not helpful at all as they loose lots of contacts with children.

Sometimes what is acquired from such trainings do not even reflect in the management of some schools.

We are also concerned with the dress code of some teachers in our schools, particularly female teachers as students often look up to them.

Every field has a dress code, teaching is no exception to this.

We are not saying that teachers must put on expensive or new clothes, but they must observe proper dressing code.

You cannot put on a miniskirtand stand in front of students failing to realise that children can easily emulate what they see, whether good or bad.