Daily Times

Sir: When was the last time that you saw a teacher sporting a brand new Lexus? Or when was it that you heard of a teacher owning a ranch? The answer to this question is probably never. Although material possessions such as owning a luxurious home or driving an extravagant car might be petty change for people like the rich and famous, for teachers this kind of spending is literally an arm and a leg.

Even simple necessities are out of reach with a teacher’s salary. The reason for this problem is the scanty budget allocated for the education sector. Teachers along with others in the school system are underpaid and are not being adequately compensated for their services. Instead of rewarding teachers with higher pay, the government is undermining their work.

In addition to a shortage of computers and Internet access, there is another problem. If we have computers in our school, we need teachers to educate students on how to use them. The only way we can do this is by hiring qualified teachers in combination with adequate pay. Teachers are not getting enough money and as a result many are becoming frustrated. Most teachers have to get a second job just to make ends meet.

As we can see, the scanty budget is a growing problem that needs to be dealt with. While we are trying to save money, we are actually hurting our students. If our youth is our future, then we should do everything to supply them with enough information and qualified teachers. If we do not spend more money on teachers, we will eventually triple our shortage of teachers. This will lead to overcrowded classrooms.

In order to eliminate this problem, we must collectively come together to make people aware of this struggle. As a future educator, I am hoping that I will be able live comfortably without worrying about whether or not I am going to need a second job to pay my bills. I want to be able to buy a car and not worry about where I am going to get the money for insurance. Furthermore, I want to be able to teach my students with books that are updated. With the help of the community, school officials, business organisations and government authorities, the education sector needs to be revolutionised.

MAHAM ASAD

Karachi