Teacher as role model

The career choice of the youths could be influenced by men and women of credible character. According to Robert F. Scherer, “parent role models significantly influence a person’s education and training” but the future of a child depends largely on the role of the teachers. A teacher should therefore, have the passion and ability to […]

The career choice of the youths could be influenced by men and women of credible character. According to Robert F. Scherer, “parent role models significantly influence a person’s education and training” but the future of a child depends largely on the role of the teachers. A teacher should therefore, have the passion and ability to inspire the students with a clear set of values. He or she does this by thinking first of the common good in preference to personal interest. A role model demonstrates that, “success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which one has overcome” (www.rootsofaction.com). Only a true role model can positively be a mentor. Jesus did not only pray, his actions reveal the content of his prayers. He did not pray with a sword or gun in his hand. Action speaks louder than words. Hence a person is known by his fruit (Matthew 7, 16). The actions of Jesus pointed to the Father. This led Philip to request, “let us see the Father and we shall be satisfied”. Jesus responded: “Have I been with you all this time, Philip and still you do not know me? To have seen me is to have seen the Father, so how can you say, ‘Let us see the father’ (John 14, 8-9).
 A similar demand is made today on the teachers in the various schools. The teacher is invited to present the values of Christ to the pupils and students. The sacred vocation of the teacher should give this response to the students, “To have seen me is to have seen Jesus”. The second Education Summit of the Catholic Church in Nigeria is an opportunity to reflect among other things on the roles of teachers. This is because all professionals are products of teachers.
This reflection is important because, even though the profession of teaching has been relegated to the background, those who are properly educated in Nigeria are acclaimed elsewhere as testimonies to what Nigeria can produce in terms of human resources. When the sun sets, the Church will once again gives value to the teaching profession and make it a vocation. The joy of a teacher is not just the financial benefits but the valuable services rendered to God and humanity. Without the teacher, there is no formal education. The greatest joy of a teacher is derived when the teacher sees his or her former student become a priest, doctor, lawyer, engineer, governor, president etc. Teachers are indeed wonderful servants who give joy to the world.
The vocation of a teacher is so sacred that in the past, people believed that no amount of money could adequately compensate the sacrifice of a teacher. Consequently, the adage that “teachers’ reward is in heaven” remains relevant.” Unfortunately, this adage has been translated to a deliberate neglect of teachers in our institutions of learning. This has often led to industrial actions with endless strikes to the disadvantage of the pupils and students. While we request that the salary of the teacher should be paid and as at when due; while it could be true that the salary could be meager in the present economic scourge; while it could happen that sometimes, even the parents of the learners may harass the teacher for correcting the children in form of discipline and punishment and while it could be true that sometimes even some students could even ambush their teachers, the teacher should not forget to see the teaching profession as a unique vocation. The teacher forever remains the true foundation of the nation.
The teaching vocation has an added obligation that goes beyond mere teaching to training and moulding the child for the future. A well trained child is empowered to design his or her vision, mission and specific objectives in life. The child is able to identify his or her potentials first, by copying the character and behavior of the teacher who should be a mentor in words and deeds. This calls for the comportment of the teacher both inside, and outside the classroom. The personality of a teacher ought to be motivating and never repulsive. The teacher ought to be a paragon of discipline, responsibility and dedication. A teacher is a special and unique missionary because he or she shares in the teaching ministry of Jesus Christ. This is why it is an abomination to hear that, some teachers sexually abuse their students and extort money from them. It sounds like an earthquake to hear that, some teachers sell examination question papers and certificates to students who do not merit them. Some misguided teachers even go further to fail students who deserve to pass their examinations on merit as punishment for not compromising in their antics, erotic and shylock advances.  
That the standard of education has fallen in many nations of the world is not just because schools were taken over by the government. The major reason could be a radical change of attitude of people, who now see any given profession first as cash for service.  Some people who would have become efficient teachers now detest teaching profession for more lucrative jobs. Even the teachers who manage to keep the teaching jobs give more time to their private enterprise than the teaching profession that ought to be their priority. This is like taking a major assignment as a part time job. Children suffer the brunt of this lack of dedication.  
It is gratifying that in Nigeria, some states have returned schools to their original owners. We pray that the states who are still finding it difficult to do the same may have a rethink. The argument that the poor cannot afford the high cost of schools managed by non-governmental bodies should be properly examined. Sometimes I wonder if many of us could have been educated, if school fees were at an unaffordable rate when we were in school. The Church should therefore, ensure that the schools are not only reserved for the children of the rich. The government should fulfill its responsibility by providing qualitative education for the citizens through supporting private and public schools.
The Church too should ensure that teachers are provided with just and adequate remuneration. The teachers should remain conscious of their heavenly reward for the services they rendered to the children who are precious to God. Because authentic knowledge is the power that liberates the mind from criminality and terrorism, they should rejoice that they are forming children who are the hope of a better tomorrow. Today, we are what we are by the grace of God. Today, we are who we are by the grace of God! But we would not raise our heads above the clouds, if not for the unflinching dedication of our teachers. May teachers be blessed both now and forever!
Fr. Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua is the Director of Mission and Dialogue of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja and Consultor for the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C.R.R.M), Vatican City ([email protected]).