by Chu Chin Kwok

Created on: December 05, 2009

What are the primary functions, work and duties of a teacher? To my mind, the most important function of a teacher is to teach - in the widest sense of the word - to impart knowledge, to guide students in their academic pursuit, to inculcate good values to students, and nothing much else.

In most third world and developing countries, education is in the firm control of the state and as such people have no or little say in how education should be run: from pre-schools through colleges and universities, governments in many of these countries dictate everything from the contents of the syllabus, setting and grading of public examinations, selection of teachers, and even admissions standard to tertiary institutions.

In many countries it is the responsibility of the state - the government of the day - to oversee and run all educational institutions. This is as it should be, because only the government has the financial resources to recruit teachers, build schools, vocational institute, colleges and universities and other institutions to cater for the needs of its people. Governments in many countries are pivotal in providing a reasonably good quality education to its citizens and it must be said that in doing so they are helping teacher do their part in school, though this is not always the case.

Here are some of the ways governments help the work of teachers :-

1. Building schools that are well-equipped with modern facilities, audio-visual teaching aids, computers, language-labs that go a long way to helping teachers disseminate knowledge in an interesting, exciting and stimulating manner;

2. Providing accommodation or subsidized housing, transport and living allowance to teachers who have to teach school-children in the rural and interior regions of the country - thus lessening their financial burdens;

3. Providing opportunities for teachers to upgrade - in their knowledge as well as the methodologies. This is done by governments encouraging current teachers to study for higher degrees in education or in fields that enhance their expertise and by conducting in-service training programs. Teachers are beneficiaries under these programs because upon obtaining the higher qualification they will have their salaries increased commensurate with their new status. This is obviously one way the government provides incentives to its teachers who are working hard nurturing the future leaders of the nation. And a happy teacher is going to be a good teacher.

That said,

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