Teachers' sacrifices during the pandemic

Jeffrey Basco Datu

A number of critics often undermine the role of teachers in providing education even during this time of the pandemic. Because of the sudden change of mode in our educational system, some would think that teachers are no longer necessary in schools because of the online and modular ways of learning.

Allow me to compare teachers to soldiers in terms of their deployment and the sacrifices they make amid our battle with the virus. Teachers are put to places where they are needed to serve and not just to be there. In this time of this global menace, teachers have the role of preparing modules. They also deliver, pick-up, check these modules and monitor the progress of students.

Just like other frontliners, they too have the exposure to health threats. As a matter of fact, there are a number of teachers who turned positive for the corona virus after transporting modules to schools. They too have their sacrifices just to continue the learning of students who have been much affected by the pandemic.

For teachers doing on-line classes, they got to have their internet connections at their expense, so they may continue teaching their students even if they keep on continuously talking to computers, mobile phones and gadgets used in on-line classes. Nothing has changed much for teachers still have to stay late at night to prepare lessons and the grades, they still have to go to their respective schools for the teaching materials and they still have to continue talking and talking while trying to assure that their students can learn something from their day's lessons.

Teachers are likewise under-rated and under-appreciated for their work and sacrifices in this trying times. While their time is not focused on physical teaching in front of their students, their tasks are tied to continuing to provide education to the young.

The author

--oOo-

is Teacher I at San Juan High School, San Juan, Mexico,

Pampanga.