World Teacher’s Day 2023

On October 5, every year, the world observes “World Teachers Day.

It is a Day where teachers of every capacity, but particularly those in the public and private systems, are honoured for their sterile contributions to the educational sector over the years.
This year, Pepperpot Magazine visited Paruima, an indigenous village of Pemon Amerindians in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region of Guyana.
The village was founded as a mission of the Seventh-Day Adventists.

The team spoke with Sandro Edmund, who has been teaching for 10 years now.
He shared that for him, teaching calls for great commitment if you are going to reap great results.
“I have been a teacher for about a decade now and I have learned that being a teacher calls for 100 percent commitment to the profession in order to reap good results. Unfortunately, I find myself falling short of that requirement. Nevertheless, I aspire to improve,” Edmund said.

Edmund noted that there are joys to be experienced in this profession and moments that bring satisfaction to your heart as a teacher.
“When I see the faces of children light up when they discover something new during the lesson that is being taught to them, I find that very fulfilling, knowing that it is something that will always remain with them”, Edmund said.

The Paruima teacher also finds joy when he sees children that society may consider “slow learners” excelling in sports, gardening, and music. It just shows that every child is competent, he explained.

But yet, Edmund satetd that another big joy comes when children become successful at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).
“Finally, it is a great joy to watch children gradually mature and move on to higher learning institutions and later come back to serve their communities,” the teacher noted during his interview.
Edmund shared that no profession is without its challenges and hurdles, so naturally, he has faced his fair share during his career.

“It is always saddening to see some children coming to school without having breakfast. It’s painful, and hurtful, especially knowing that you can do nothing to help the situation. It is my hope that one day we can collectively find a solution for this,” he shared with the magazine.

Edmund admitted that it’s also quite intimidating to work in a female-dominated profession. According to him, male teachers are rarely found in schools and that’s perhaps because of their inability to be patient enough with the children. He noted that even though he may not be patient enough with the children, he does his best in the circumstances.
“I have always imagined having an actual classroom where there will be less noise, more concentration, and classes that are easier to manage. It is quite a challenge to put up with a whole auditorium that is barely separated by makeshift walls,” Edmund said.

He cited that a challenge he finds in the classroom is the inability of pupils to connect with the outside world when they have never been exposed to it. It would be a great idea, he believes, for the Ministry to organise tours for the hinterland children on a yearly basis.

“All in all, I must say that it is a privilege to be a teacher and I do not regret being one. We just ask for the continued support of all the stakeholders in the education fraternity so that we can provide a wholesome education to the children we dearly love,” Edmund said.