World Teachers’ Day: celebrating the unsung heroes of our society

The Irish playwright and writer William Butler once wrote: “Education is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire.”

And lighting that fire – a fire which has the potential to light and warm a society for generations to come – is entrusted to one of society’s least-appreciated groups… teachers.

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Yesterday was World Teachers’ Day and, by happenstance, teachers working in our government had the day off because it was school holidays. Most of them deserve their rest.

They work long hours for derisory pay levels, given their responsibility, and can often find themselves targets of abuse from pupils and parents… with little backup from their superiors or the system itself.

We say most because there are still plenty of teachers out there who, like some cops and nurses, regard what they do as “just a job”. Some fail to pitch up to work, leave early, drink on duty or – worst of all – prey sexually on their pupils.

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However, all of us – whether parents or politicians – should celebrate our dedicated teachers, the unsung heroes of our society. And remember the Japanese proverb: “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”