While teaching has been referred to as a noble profession, it appears other disciplines are regarded more highly. Is it because of pay? Is it misdemeanour that sees the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to transfer or interdict teachers?
As David Maister said, a profession is not a label, it is dictated by service. In Australia, the Council of Professions says a profession is a disciplined group of individuals who adheres to ethical standards and who hold themselves out as and are accepted by the public as possessing a special knowledge and skills garnered from research, education, and training.
Professionals, the lobby says, apply this knowledge and exercise these skills in the interest of others guided by a code of ethics as opposed to personal moral obligations.
A professional does his best when nobody is watching. They are open to a thorough review and are ready to learn using useful questions to self and the reviewer. Such people do not seek praise but use appreciation to set even higher and bigger goals.
Therefore, teachers who hold on to the fundamentals of their profession will not only survive, but will also flourish and serve students, the number one client. They are governed by code of ethics, are committed to competence, integrity and morality, and promotion of the greater good of the learner who they should be answerable to with eyes on turning into influential people.
At Starehe Boys Centre, the school says their graduates are prepared to go through mud without getting dirty. That Starehe teaching or experience makes them to against the grain when everyone is tilting to groupthink.
Ideally, teachers should not be accountable to the employer and the ministry, the agents who act on behalf of the Kenyan taxpayer. George Beaton, an associate professor at the University of Melbourne, says ethical considerations and obligations create and build trust among those served.
Many have walked into classrooms are believed to teach, but, unfortunately, that is never the case. Professional teachers draw heavily from philosophy, psychology, history, sociology, technology, administration, management, and curriculum to respond to the brimming expectations of the society.
Unfortunately, unlike in the universities and their faculty boards, in Kenyan schools, teachers do not have the wherewithal to govern their own operations. Except for the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), teachers do not have other avenues through which they can participate in academic decision making.
It is ridiculous that these two teacher unions identify loudly more with welfare than practice, which ought to be the major reason behind their establishment. In fact, so many times, it appears, teachers view themselves as technicians rather than as professionals compared to medics and lawyers through their associations like the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and Law Society of Kenya that boldly comment on welfare as well as practice.
If teachers’ professional associations were strong, they would decide curriculum, teaching methods, entry requirements and administration. Without a strong and influential voice, teachers are in a desperate and an endless search for professional status.
Obviously, it is in the Kenyan education sector that we have the lay in classrooms, teaching. Painfully, school management boards have hired individuals on conviction, convenience, economy, or patronage to teach. Steps like these have created “Mickey-Mouse” teachers.
Apart from the boards made up of sometimes clueless members, parents and politicians are also itching to disrupt teaching, instilling fear in teachers while demanding subservience. In the job analysis, it should be that for the four years students train at university, they should have experiencesand knowledge.
Is it the teaching practice, for how long, and under which conditions? Is it the courses covered? Is it the administrative orientation? There should be in fact, a model or conception of what a professional secondary or primary school teacher should be.
In spite of the fluctuating social, economic, political, and market contexts, not anybody with college education can teach. Prospective teachers just like in other disciplines need to undergo practice training just like lawyers go to the Kenya School of Law, nurses satisfying the Nursing Council that they are ready to work.
Educational International, the global teachers lobby, says “the professional development and training [of teachers] is offered infrequently and perceived to be of poor quality and relevance.” The lobby was reacting to this year’s Global Education Monitoring report by the UN that found that teachers are not well prepared to guide learners in an inclusive manner.
Many other professions administer examinations before and during practice to ensure only the best rise and laggards do their best to catch up. A well coordinated certification can provide benefits while pushing teachers to be accountable.
It makes sense also to establish a reward system for teachers divided into various facets, not just academic excellence. It could be research, attitude, counselling, sports, art and craft, music, discipline, and creativity.
The 2019 Global Teacher of the year Tabichi was honoured more for his heart than his hand. Though he did not live a comfortable life, he donated 80 percent of his teaching salary to community projects. Essentially this means his work spreads beyond the classroom. He is compassionate.
