Mailbag

Teaching: a vocation that is much more than just a job

Teachers are traditionally thought of as one of the most respected classes of people in Chinese society, thanks to the teachings of Confucius. They are the ones who devote their lives to nurturing students, who personify conscience and intelligence, and who serve the ideals of an educated and civilised society. Teaching is not just a career but a life-long vocation.

However, in Hong Kong today their noble status seems to be rapidly declining, and more teachers are becoming dissatisfied with their occupation. A friend of mine teaches in a government-subsidised primary school. Unbelievably, he works seven days a week, each day from 7am to 7pm. Occasionally, he may leave his office earlier for his own part-time study, part of his continuous education as a teacher. He does get holidays but they are spent with students' homework and other administrative work. He can return to 'normal' working hours only during summer vacations, but unfortunately they are also stacked with extra-curricular activities and preparation work for the coming term. He does not complain but is exhausted by his job.

Another friend teaches in a secondary school and she explained to me what being a teacher actually means. On school open day she is a sales person whose job it is to lure parents and students to apply for a place in her school. She is the public relations officer in the parent-teacher association. After school she is a student counsellor, as well as the administrative assistant for school management board meetings. She said she sometimes nearly forgets she is also a class teacher. She became a teacher because she loves teaching, and now she wants to leave, for the same reason.

Teachers complain that they have become the 'servants' of their students. They are now expected to be 'education service providers', treating students and parents as their customers. With teachers having to work like robots, how can we expect them to educate our children effectively? The morale and self-esteem of our teachers is now in the doldrums and if the general atmosphere does not improve, I doubt whether the planned education reforms have the slimmest chance of success.

SIMON KWONG,

Siu Sai Wan