Teaching, as they say, is a calling— which means, despite facing challenges such as poor pay and deplorable working conditions, the teacher is committed to serving humanity.
At the end of the day, and despite all the difficulties they face, the teacher goes home smiling when the learner they equipped with knowledge achieves his or her goals. That is the beauty of selfless service.
Despite the good job the majority of teachers do, there seems to be bad apples in the teaching profession, apples that are bent at tarnishing the image of the, otherwise, noble profession.
A case in point is the Mulanje District scenario where, instead of playing the role of a loving parent, a primary school teacher decided to play the role of destroyer. Not surprisingly, his nefarious act has earned him a jail sentence of 14 years.
Just last week, this newspaper carried the story of another teacher, this time in Neno District, who was arrested on suspicion that he was having an affair with a learner at the school he is posted.
This, sadly, is another reminder that we, as Malawians, have to be vigilant in protecting the girl-child from irresponsible men who are on the prowl.
Of all people, the nation expects good things from teachers, instead of the heart-breaking stories we are getting from public primary schools. To make matters worse, the teachers who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law are in the public service, which means our leaders have their job cut out for them.
Perhaps we have been at fault for, all along, thinking of the teacher as an angel, and leaving them out of child rights campaigns.
Moving forward, let us sensitise teachers on the need to keep a safe distance from learners so that school should be what it is meant to be: a place where minds are sharpened for greater role ahead.
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