Setting up of Teaching Professions Council Noble

Government's proposal for the setting up of a Teaching Professions Council is highly commendable as the move will bring sanity to one of the country's oldest professions and restore the profession's lost gleam and dignity.

The teaching profession in this country used to be regarded as a noble profession. It was a profession that most school leavers wished to be associated with and happily joined after completing secondary education. However the situation nowadays shows that most people join the profession as a last resort and are always looking for elsewhere for greener pastures citing professional and economic reasons. The establishment of the Teaching Professions Council will therefore try to bring back the glory of this very important profession.
Like nurses and lawyers in Zimbabwe, teachers also need their own Board which will monitor the entrance and exit of the educators as well as making sure that issues of ethics and professionalism in the Zimbabwe education system are maintained.

Our neighbouring South Africa has its own teachers Board, the South African Council for Educators (SACE) which not only regulates and protects entry into the profession but also sets minimum requirements for entry into the profession. Zambians have their own Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) which was set up to improve the teaching profession and enhance the delivery of quality education.

Currently there are ongoing consultations for the establishment of the Teaching Professions Council which is expected to be in place by the end of year. Last week there was one in Bulawayo where it was noted that for a very long time people have taken advantage of the teaching profession, it's a free entry, free exit profession with anyone from anywhere with a degree or diploma coming in to teach. But there is nothing like a temporary doctor or temporary lawyer.

Government, the World Bank and teachers unions are discussing proposals for possible registration of teachers under a professional council. If approved, the proposal will see teachers joining other professions like doctors and lawyers who get certificates before they practice and could be deregistered if they fall foul of regulations.

There has been a marked decline in the character and moral values of teachers and also an increase in cases of indiscipline, corruption, sexual and physical abuse in schools. The Teaching Professions Council will try to exorcise all these issues among others and improve the respected education sector.

Teaching is hard work and requires dedicated individuals, and some teachers never grow to be anything better than mediocrity. They do the bare minimum required and very little more. The great teachers however work tirelessly to create a challenging, nurturing environment for their students. Great teaching seems to have less to do with knowledge and skills than with attitude towards students, subject and work. A great teacher maintains professionalism in all areas, from personal appearance to organizational skills and preparedness for each day, and his or her communication skills are exemplary.

Teachers unions in Zimbabwe have never agreed over representation of educators with clear divisions around support or antagonism for and against Government, which has made it difficult to find consensus on critical issues affecting the profession.