Committed teachers put the interests of their pupils first: iLIVE

The insistence of teacher union Sadtu not to be denied the right to strike raises questions about the union and the teaching profession in general.

The reason the ANC wants teaching declared an essential service is to minimise or eliminate teacher strikes because, it seems, teachers are ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

It appears they don't think twice about how the strikes will affect the pupils and their future. This raises another question. Are the people in the profession there because teaching is a calling?

A teacher always puts the interests of the pupils first. Teaching is not a job - it becomes one's way of life.

Can we say this about the teachers we have or their union Sadtu?

The ANC and the government need to look at the material of the teachers we have and introduce measures to ensure that anyone who does not have a passion for teaching is not admitted into the profession. This is the root of our problem and the teacher strikes.