Are teachers really under ‘siege’?

OVERWORKED, underpaid… and abused by many of the young lives they are trying to improve.

That appears to be the lot of our teachers, according to some.

Others say ‘rubbish’. What do you think?

The Herald was contacted by several teachers following last week’s lead story about a sports coach at Margate Primary being thrown off his motorcycle by a booby-trap wire that was stretched across the road outside the school.

Two Grade 7 pupils – a boy and a girl – were believed to be responsible. The coach’s face was badly lacerated as the wire caught him in the mouth and then wrapped around his head as it broke.

A doctor said he was “lucky to be alive”. If he had been riding faster and the wire had caught him in the throat, it would almost certainly have been fatal. Any higher and he could have been blinded. This incident followed a child terrorising pupils and teachers at the George Mbhele School with a toy gun. The teachers stayed away from work for a week.

Following up on the story this week, some said these were just ‘isolated incidents’ and others insisted that teachers were ‘under siege’ by a growing number of ‘bad elements’ within the school system countrywide. They said that teachers’ and principals’ hands were tied by departmental red tape.

Headmasters and teachers contacted for comment were all reluctant to “go on record” for fear of incurring the wrath of the Department of Education. Apparently, it is even written into some contracts that “what happens in school, stays in school”.

One teacher said: “If we are caught speaking to the media it’s the guillotine. We get the chop.”

Another teacher from a local high school said that they felt almost powerless when they were back-chatted by the pupils.

“Our principal only dares act if it’s something more serious like smoking or drinking, but if we complain about a pupil’s bad attitude we are merely told we are bad teachers,” she said.

“The bottom line is that the pupils know they have the upper hand and they take advantage of it. I can’t wait to leave the profession.”

Another teacher said: “It’s simple… kids rule!”

“The vast majority of pupils are really good,” said another teacher. “But the bad few are just so disruptive and it’s not fair on those who really want to achieve.”

What is the solution?

Teachers said there needed to be a clear policy from the Department of Education allowing teachers and principals to implement stricter disciplinary measures without fear of a backlash. The old-fashioned cane was not an option, but there should be more creative forms of punishment that worked.

“I heard that one local school tried to implement a system where delinquent pupils were not only given detention, but had to wear orange overalls or black bags and walk around the school cleaning up litter,” said a teacher. “I don’t want to name the school, because I think it is a good idea.”

However, other teachers said the latter was just ‘urban legend’ and detention was the main form of punishment in general.

“I think pupils need to know that there will be consequences for their actions. But, at the same time, some teachers need to step up to the plate and inculcate a strong culture of learning and teaching in the classroom,” said one teacher.

“I know some of my colleagues are finding it frustrating and are demoralised, but there are many more of us who are up to the challenge. Teachers certainly are not ‘under siege’, as some claim.”

The Herald has tried to contact the Department of Education on numerous occasions in the past two weeks. We were re-directed and re-directed from one person to the next. We were finally told that Sihle Mlotshwa was the man who could comment.

He could not be reached at the DOE’s communications department, but they gave us his cellphone number and email address. Calls to the number were just bluntly cut off or were answered with “the user is currently not available”.

Emails bounced back from Telkom with the message: “Delivery delayed.” The only assumption one can make is that Mr Mlotshwa’s email folder is too full.