These Bad Teachers (II) – Things Spoiling The Profession's Image

A Teacher

In my submission last week, I was able to discuss only two of the ten bad deeds in which some teachers engage themselves to, wittingly or unwittingly, spoil the image of the noble profession of teaching. The two I discussed were those concerning bad moneys being collected from school pupils in the name of extra classes organized for them, and also some rough cuts made in the 'bushy' hair of certain students, both of which are unprofessional, brutish crude and condemnable.

Another bad deed which was mentioned, and for lack of space, was not elaborated on, was (and is) the somewhat prevalent laziness of some teachers to quickly mark the students' exams papers of the term and filling their report sheets to be mailed to their guardians or parents. It is even sad to say that in some schools, exams reports cards or sheets are never made up-to-date and never given out until the third term.

This is very strange indeed, yet it is happening in some schools. But in this case, the head-teachers are to be blamed for lack of supervision, supervision which should insist that teachers should hand over all filled reports within a week after each vacation day. It should be the obligation of the assistant or deputy head-teacher or headmaster, or the school's administrative officer to receive all such reports and give receipt to the class teacher for record purposes.

Teachers or tutors or lecturers are to be reminded that vacation for pupils or students is not a holiday period for them. During the 19960s and 70s, the formal holidays for each teacher in a year were seven working days. I am pretty sure this fiat is still applicable these days. Therefore, it behooves all teachers, tutors, or lecturers to remain at school to close registers or compile exams reports, some days after the vacation day. Teachers can somehow rest after completing such office work. I say 'somehow rest', because the official position is that teachers are expected to prepare for the next term's work- preparing for the weekly schemes of work for the next term, reading about or researching on the topics to be taught, preparing or making notes of what is read on the topics or the teaching methods to be used etc. In effect, a teacher is not expected to rest fully during the holidays meant for the students or pupils.

In the circumstance, it is a very despicable act for a teacher not to prepare his exams reports in time and mail them to the guardians or parents. This is a bad deed, and circuit officers and head-teachers should firmly insist on the performance of this duty within a week after the vacation day. In this computer age, it will be more financially advantageous if e-mail addresses of parents or guardians are collected, by which exams reports of their wards are sent. It will be worthwhile if various schools can adopt this e-mail postal-services method.

The act of caning and slapping, as a way of punishing, also forms the fourth bad deed of some teachers. As a matter of fact, I for one, agree that caning is a good form of punishment that has some good rippling effects on students or pupils. Those who are aversed to caning do not know God's Word on that issue. Writing by the power of the Holy Spirit, King Solomon asserted that 'He who spares the rod, hates his son' (Proverbs 13:24). Solomon again writes: 'Punish him (the child) with the rod and save his soul from death' (Proverbs 23:14). This is subject to some explicatory theological interpretations; but suffice it to say, 'Saving one's soul from death' means saving that soul from going to hell. So caning has some good spiritual effects of saving souls! After all, didn't Jesus cane those selling and changing money in the Temple to drive them away forever, as their action amounted to desecration of God's dwelling place? (John 2:13-15).

Caning is good; but it is bad if misused. And this kind of misuse is now seen in several schools, especially Senior Secondary Schools, where some teachers, on their own volition, apply the canes on the least provocation, and use the rod even more than the officially stipulated 'six times'. The rule is that it is only the head-teacher who is to use the cane or any teacher whom the head-teacher has mandated to do so. Therefore, headmasters should talk to their teachers about misuse of caning, and should take action against those teachers whom the students report to be misapplying it in the school. As for slapping, the least said about it the better. It amounts to cruelty or sadism and boorishness for a teacher to slap a student. Are some teachers becoming policemen to slap students in the ear? The GES (Ghana Education Service) should take note of this, and stop this act of savagery on students.

The fifth bad deed indulged by some teachers is the act of sexual immorality on especially female students. In most cases, such students or girls are subjected to raping through some cunning ways devised by those teachers. Cases of raping by some teachers are reportedly on the increase, and what is the GES doing to check them? These are tarnishing the image of the teaching profession. In my opinion, if circuit officers or district directors of education hold regular briefing sessions that discuss the morally informed code of discipline spelt out to teachers, such sexual orgies will go down a little.

Related to this is the sixth bad deed of drinking of alcohol by teachers, and in some cases, marijuana smoking and cocaine sniffing. Boozing to school is a professional offence infringing upon teacher's code of discipline, and head-teachers must try to check this evil. Even in the society, lots of people frown upon this boozing behaviour of some teachers and thus are held in contempt, with the usual sneering statement: 'By his continual drinking habit, such a teacher is training our children how to drink to booze or smoke wee'. This is a disgrace to the teaching profession.

Oftentimes, such boozing teachers have no aim in life or lofty visions which will compel them to be sober and study higher to upgrade their intellectual and professional status. Such teachers oftentimes go on pension without any good future, and rather lead a more miserable life. It will be good for such teachers to stop drinking, smoking of 'wee' or sniffing of cocaine, and plan their future well, with priority on obtaining higher education in a university or through ICT courses and putting up their own houses where they can rest comfortably during their pension periods.

The seventh, eighth and ninth bad deeds of teachers- which are laziness in preparing teaching notes or in standing before the students to teach them, lateness at school and quarrels and fighting are so rampant and common that they cannot be discussed at length. But since it is my aim to do more research work on these ten points in this write-up and elaborate them in a book, which I intend writing soon, it is only worthwhile to make some casual remarks about laziness and lateness. The general concept held in our educational circles that female teachers are lazy to the extent of sleeping on their tables when classes are in session could be true, yet it is somehow controversial: since some females teachers work hard. What is your opinion, reader? Who are lazier – male or female teachers?

And who are often more late at school – male or female teachers? Whatever it is, teachers who are often late at school must be talked to rather firmly by their head-teachers since it is a bad habit. But within the context of social psychology, lateness can have some underlying causes, and headmasters must find out these so to 'cure' it in an 'always-late' teacher.

Lastly, is the tenth bad deed of some teachers- the sort of insubordination or disrespect shown to their headmasters. This is condemnable enough. And such teachers must also consider the fact that they may grow to be heads of some departments where they can perform excellently only through the loyalty and respect demonstrated to them by their subordinates. Indeed, those teachers who are humble usually obtain higher positions amazingly quickly. And this fact unquestionably responds to the scriptural truth. 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall obtain the land' (Mathew 5:5). That is, the meek or humble shall obtain love of their leaders who shall quickly recommend them for higher positions.

On the other hand, headmasters must always exhibit love, smiles, frankness, and sociableness which will induce good interactions with teachers. Squeezing the face and being bossy and decisively firm don't help matters; such attitude excites fear or insubordination and unnecessary confrontation from teachers. Love between headmasters and teachers is the key to peace and tranquility and excellent academic performance of students in schools

SEKOU NKRUMAH             
Next week's 'Controversy' will focus on the  fracas between Samia Nkrumah (CPP chairperson) and Dr. Kwesi Nduom; and on Dr. Sekou Nkrumah's misplaced, misguided, freakish, puerile and disrespectful criticisms against  his sister, Samia Nkrumah, and against Pro. Akosah. Stay tuned.                                                                   

By Apostle Kwamena Ahinful