Why One Should Join the Teaching Profession

‘Education is the guardian genius of democracy. It is the only dictator that free men recognize, and the only ruler that free men require.’ ~Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar.

We, teachers impart it.

Bhutan as a transitional country, where she is changing from being dependent to self-sufficient with regard to human resource, needs teachers to fill in the blind spots. Keeping this in mind, the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) and Ministry of Education (MoE) has devised plans to attract teachers in their system, but one also needs to consider the other reasons to join the breed of teachers. The following give three prominent reasons why many like me, joined this profession.

History has many examples of great teachers. Gautama Buddha was a teacher, so was Gandhi. They were the pioneers of many great movements, with the Buddha even founding Buddhism. But they had someone as a teacher. As was them so are we. Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions; rightly reflect the position of teacher in this society. So that is why teaching is rightly considered as a noble profession, second to none. This is the first reason why one should join this profession. Nothing can ever compare to seeing one’s student graduate and settle among men with a good job. There is this pride of being a teacher.

Secondly teaching is a learning process. As mentioned by Joseph Joubert (1842) to teach is to learn twice. It is a chance to broaden ones knowledge. TS Powdyel rightly said, ‘a graduate of yesterday, who stops learning today will become uneducated tomorrow’. This is one profession which provides us with the opportunity to learn. No other profession does that. The zeal to make your students do better than the others’ drives one to perfection. MoE and RCSC also provides opportunities for further studies to Australia, USA, Thailand, India and other European countries on government scholarships.

Thirdly, the perks are good. The starting grade is VIII with good salary as well as the much coveted teaching allowances which increase with the increase in your years in service. The 15 days’ vacation in summer and 50 in winter are paid leave which one can spend doing anything one wants. There are also the numerous Trainings and Workshops for teachers during these vacation periods. Not only that, BCSEA also delegates teachers in their examination duties and evaluation camps.

There are also many other factors that decide for people to join teaching as a life-long profession. Still many have decided on one of the three; some for the love of the profession, others for the money, yet others for the other perks. Thus, teaching not only offers cognitive benefits but also financial ones.

[Presentation on English lesson plan for IXth standard]