His timeless, deeply patriotic and universally applicable words remain relevant now as they were yesterday. “And so fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
The fortunes of any country lies in the collective contributions of its citizens but also rest more in the capable hands of those men and women privileged to be in the public service. The public service is not just the anchor of government but it is also the government. Serving one’s country, especially in the teaching fraternity, means worrying less about what is there for one but more about seeking to alter for the better the course of a country and its people. The role of the teaching profession in any nation’s societal transformative journey cannot be over emphasised. Without the input of teachers, it is hard to see how any nation can accomplish its dreams and aspirations for a much more secure and durable future.
From handling a highly dependent child at the kindergarten foundation stage to the much more mature adult children (yet still dependent) in university lecture rooms, teachers and lecturers play a prominent role in unlocking the potential of young people, mentoring, hand holding and aligning them to their purpose in life. This task puts an extra ordinary heavy burden on the shoulders of teachers. It is a complicated task, further compounded by the fact that, unlike in other professions, the teaching profession is serving predominantly reluctant customers. By their nature, not all students are willing customers working with minimal interventions. For them to prosper and thrive, they require a big push from behind, and while others need intensive care. In other professions, customers play an active and prominent role in pushing service providers to up their game. Not so with teaching. The teachers are self-driven entities, doing all they must to take the horse to the watering points and actually ensuring that it drinks. This is what makes the teaching profession special and distinct from other professions. It is one profession requiring not only patriotic feelings but also nerves of steel. Teaching is, therefore, a perfect home for patriots and national builders. It requires big picture thinkers, ever ready to subordinate personal ambitions to national interests.
Years ago, when I was only about five years in the teaching profession, a young impertous colleague, asked me, not once, what kept me going in the teaching profession. It was obvious that he did not think that he had chosen the right job, consistent with his personal development agenda. It was hard to make him see the big picture. It is not easy to convince a young person to see the value of patriotism, sacrifice, patience and choosing public good over any other consideration. Seemingly, finding my answers as to why I got stuck to a job which, in his view, was uninspiring, less prestigious and rewarding, he could not stay. He boldly tendered his resignation and departed the scene. The path he chose is not his alone.
I have encountered in my long professional journey quite a number of young people who came and went. Some have left even before the early retirement of 45 years but many patriotic teachers hang on until the mandatory retirement age of 65. Serving up to 65 years can only demonstrate how deep the love and passion those teachers had for the profession. It is sad that after serving for so long, many veterans teachers who still love the profession are lost to other careers or their second choice passions like farming. It is my wish to see those teachers getting into teaching consultancies or establishing schools to keep their first love passions alive.
Once a teacher always a teacher, trying something else so late in life may not yield good results. Veteran teachers must realise their services are still needed. There are too many chancers in the education market who are trying to provide a service in education but failing to give students value for money. Veteran teachers should work out a plan of how to stay relevant in education after active service.
Thriving in the teaching profession does not only require relevant teaching credentials and colorful documents but also an appreciation of the desirability of promoting a public good. In the spirit and letter of JFK’s pronouncement, teaching is primarily about love, the fear of God and choosing to do the right thing when nobody is watching. The fortunes of students who may not be caring enough of their own future rests with a caring and compassionate spirit embedded in every teacher. Teachers remain a source of inspiration to many because theirs is a national building mission. They understand the value of public good.
