THE EDITOR, Sir:

The school environment, which was primarily known as a place for transferring and receiving knowledge and fostering the development of the whole man, has today been transformed into a battlefield. From my two years spent in the education system I think I have experienced enough to justify what I'm about to say.

Regardless of how much knowledge you have of the education system, regardless of surveys conducted and findings gathered, you will never be able to truly understand a teacher's plight until you are standing in front of 35 to 60 students, whose parents or guardians expect you to turn water into wine for their children. Not only are teachers expected to facilitate learning, but they have the responsibility of instilling discipline, conducting regular assessment of students' performance, writing regular plans, keeping and updating records, tending to their needs (this includes support financially, emotion-ally and otherwise) and being role models for tomorrow's people. Needless to say, there are many other roles.

Blinding realities

It is staring us in the eye, but how many persons see the blinding realities? Many of our students attend school with little or no money and, at times, with no learning tools and the teacher is expected to deal with this, as we are substitute parents for 35 to even 60 students. Many of our students are from communities where violence and criminal activities are the order of the day and this culture is being filtered into our schools. Some of the students that we provide support for are sometimes the very same ones who blatantly disrespect teachers and even abuse them. From the hurling of expletives to death threats, teachers have had enough!

I'm quite aware of the fact that some teachers disregard the rights of our children and I'm in no way applauding or supporting this. In fact, I'm totally against this, but there are some students who no matter how amicable your approach is to them, they react with hostility, and I have experienced that ever so often. The other reality is that it is quite difficult to get some students to respond in the expected manner without having to shout and even use the language known to them and this is really distressing. There are times when I want to relate to some of the students, but the minute they recognise a hint of friendliness, they begin to talk to you in whatever way they feel like and we are expected to deal with it.

I've seen and also experienced the frustrations of teaching, I've heard derogatory terms used to describe teachers by parents and students, I've witnessed the abuse of teachers and the fact that hardly anything results from this. Yet, we are expected to deal with it. When a student becomes physically abusive we are expected to gracefully escort them to the office where they get a few days suspension or told to write an apology and that's it. The reality is that half the school population will view this teacher as a 'punching bag' and all the punishment they could ever receive is three days suspension or writing a letter of apology.

Problems

How many such situations can we deal with, when most of the problems stem from the home? How much more energy can we expend when we go the extra mile to ensure that students have learnt, only to see the rubbish they write when a test is given? How much more can we do when we have sacrificed our family time to stay back after school to create an environment conducive to learning, yet it goes unnoticed? How much more can we say when all some students want to do is to write "bullet, bullet" on the walls and talk about sex all day? How much more can we deal with?

What about how we feel? How much is being done for our rights, our health and safety? It's bad enough being in a noisy and abusive environment all day, but it is even worse when you get to your place of abode and still hear the resonating voices in your head. On top of that, you want to drop dead at the very sight of your pay cheque. Maybe we are seen as robots, as superhumans; having no feelings or personal needs, therefore we are treated in like manner; but one day the blinding realities will hit some of us. Only let it not hit us when 35 to 60 students are seated before an empty desk and chair awaiting the arrival of the superhuman.

I am, etc.,

MOORE R,

kesharma_1@yahoo.com