_To our Beloved Teachers,_
On this World Teachers’ Day, I do not just greet you. I kneel in gratitude for you.
You are the foundation that no one sees, yet everyone stands on. Before a child becomes a doctor, a pilot, a minister, a president — she first sits before you.
_Thank you for shaping this nation with bare hands and big hearts._
You have taught in classrooms without windows, under mango trees, with one textbook shared by ten children — yet you still taught. For that, Uganda owes you a debt we can never fully repay.
Today, I want to implore you, my dear mothers and fathers of the nation:
_1. Be more Patriotic._
Love Uganda through your work. A patriotic teacher does not teach for salary alone, but for the destiny of the nation. Do not sell our children’s future by selling fake exams. Do not trade your calling for quick money. Our children are not customers — they are the future of this soil.
_2. Be more Compassionate._
See the child behind the uniform. That slow learner you are tempted to ignore may be carrying hunger from home. That stubborn boy may be carrying pain. Teach with a mother’s heart. A cane can break a child, but compassion can build him.
And to all of us, let us together _Bring Back the Real Teacher:_
_Bring back the teacher who set her own exams_ — who knew the weakness of each child because she crafted questions from what she had actually taught, not photocopied papers bought from Nasser Road. Her exam was not a business — it was a diagnosis.
_Bring back the teacher who made topical evaluation a priority_ — who never waited for end-of-term to discover a child was lost. After every topic, she tested. After every test, she re-taught. No child was left behind.
_Bring back the teacher who taught ALL concepts_ — not the one who said “skip chapter 10, UNEB does not set it.” She taught everything, because she was building a human being, not just chasing a first grade. She knew life does not set only PLE questions.
_Bring back the teacher who was a role model in dress, in speech, in discipline._ Whose very presence in the village commanded respect. When she passed, children ran to greet her.
_Bring back the teacher who partnered with parents_, who visited homes, who whispered to a mother, “Your daughter can be great, support her.”
Where did we lose that teacher?
We lost her when we commercialized education. When we made results a business. When we stopped reading and started cheating.
Today, I call upon you — let us restore her. In your one classroom, restore her. In your one school, restore her.
If we bring back that teacher, we shall bring back discipline. We shall bring back morals. We shall bring back Uganda.
On this special day, allow me to sincerely appreciate the Government of Uganda under the leadership of H.E. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for the recent salary enhancement for Arts teachers. This is a clear testimony that Government is committed to the education sector and values the contribution of our teachers. Let us reciprocate this commitment with greater dedication and love for our learners.
You are the nation.
_Happy World Teachers’ Day!_
KIWALA CAROLINE TAHIR
Assistant Resident District Commissioner – Iganga
The post KIWALA CAROLINE TAHIR: World Teachers’ Day: Bring Back The Teacher Who Built The Nation appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.