Largely worldwide the teaching profession has lost the grand respect of the past. This is what Epoch Times reporters from Pakistan to Chile discovered when they asked locals:
 Islamabad, Pakistan As a university teacher I have received a high level of respect from my students. They honor their teachers and speak politely. When I was a student I also gave my teachers a lot of respect because they are older and are teaching me something I do not know. In federal schools I have seen that the students give respect but many teachers, because of their own frustrations, are very disrespectful to the students and do not treat them that well. |
 Bangalore, India Yes, being a teacher is definitely a respectable profession in India. My mother is also a teacher. Being a teacher not only garners respect from the upper section of society that people usually want to teach, but it also brings an immense amount of “self respect” if we are teaching the less privileged. Teaching is definitely a noble profession in India and many students aspire to become teachers. |
 Cartagena, Colombia In Colombia there are factors that influence disrespect for the teaching profession. Not only in our country, but worldwide in general, the popularization and maximizing the media has created a generation of individuals with multiple personal problems, family, social, etcetera, also there is no respect for authority, sometimes increasing aggression and reaching extremes in some areas of the country where it is considered a high-risk profession because of the increasing murders of teachers. |
 Romania No. Our authorities do not consider teaching a priority. This can be easily seen in their lack of interest regarding teachers’ needs in the present social context. |
 Wellington, New Zealand I think it is yes, it is, it’s just underpaid. I think teachers should earn better money but it is respected. I think everyone understands that a good education is the secret to a successful society. |
 Sofia, Bulgaria There was a time when teachers were highly respected in Bulgaria, but this time has long gone. I still remember, when I was a student, how we were listening with trepidation to our teachers, who inducted us in the indefinite cosmos of knowledge, doing it with so much love! They just loved their jobs and money was not an issue. What has to be done, to turn back time? Teachers’ salaries must be raised significantly and a radical reform in the education system needs to be introduced. They need to be provided with an excellent, clean, and healthy environment in the schools … and the anarchy in school needs to cease. |
 Aneby, Sweden Difficult question, but I think it is! Twenty years ago, being a teacher had a higher status; in that way, it is not the same anymore. But among most people we are respected for what we are and what we do. |
 Harlem, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A. Yes. They’re more advanced and they teach you more than you need to know. They give you more knowledge. |
 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Although issues involving education are always present in both political and informal debates, education in Brazil is still poor due to the fact that temporary measures are taken by the government, such as the automatic approval of public school students, who pass the year even with low grades. Therefore, education is still a major social problem in my country. |
 Lima, Peru We could say that it is not respected by the state itself; the salary paid just covers a third of its needs. A teacher is unable to buy books, to be able to train and qualify; to be able to improve their performance as opposed to their work in a college. Survey results in reading and math have been very low. |
 Puerto Montt, Chile It is not a respected career. When you choose this career, previously it was vocational; now it is optional; previously there was a different selection. We can’t forget names like Pedro Prado, Gabriela Mistral, Vicente Huidobro. We must remember that our society is formed by our parents at home and in the classroom by our teachers. Do not forget that education is a very useful tool for progress and development of people in this society, so we need to have the utmost respect for those who educate us. |
 Sunshine Coast, Australia I would say so. Some are saying that because of the sexual discrimination or harassment a lot of them don’t want to be involved in it. For men.
Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “Do you support banning smoking in public places, indoors and outdoors?” |
