A Teacher’s Heartbreak: How We Lost Respect, and Why Hope Still Remains for Education in Asia

An elderly teacher alone in an empty classroom, symbolizing the decline of respect for educators in Asia.

Those of us who have stayed in the teaching profession have done so out of fascination and emotion. Our elders used to say, "Once you enter this profession, you can never leave." And truly, it's impossible to leave. When I was a new teacher, I was the class teacher of Grade 6. Whenever I thought of switching to another career, the innocent little faces of those children would appear before me. And I couldn’t go through with it. During my student life, I used to do private tutoring.

But I never went to any student’s home to teach. I felt a deep sense of responsibility toward my tuition students. I didn’t even skip Fridays. I never asked for payment. Seeing this, the students themselves used to collect and give me the money at the end of the month. Some couldn’t pay. I never asked them. Once, a student came from Greece and offered me 10,000 taka. He said, “I never paid you for private lessons. I owe you a lot.” I returned the money to him with great difficulty.

 I have taught thousands of such students. I took full responsibility for the school’s sports program from the beginning. I disciplined students strictly. But I was never questioned for it. Then came the downfall. It was declared that students could not be harmed physically or mentally in any way. This order, possibly from Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, was issued through the court and widely publicized. This became a tool against teachers. Some students began saying directly to teachers, "You can’t hit us. You can’t even scold us." Some parents, in support of their overly pampered children, kept complaining about teachers. Helpless and confused, teachers began giving up. Education began to suffer.

 Then came the multiple-choice question system in exams. Some unethical individuals began pressuring teachers to allow students to cheat. Teachers with integrity became even more disheartened. If students can pass exams through dishonest means without studying, then why would they study? And what use would teachers be to them? It didn’t stop there. There was extreme irresponsibility in public exam script evaluation. Examiners were told to pass students no matter what. Even if a student wrote anything, marks had to be given. Then why would students respect their teachers?

 There are countless such irresponsible decisions that have ruined students, education, and society. Then there are some teachers who forget their responsibilities. They move away from professionalism and dishonor this noble profession. Finally, thinking the country had reached the level of Europe and America, a new education curriculum was introduced, completely disconnected from our reality. The first rule was: No one can speak against it. If they do, they’ll lose their jobs. Even though the entire nation opposed it, the system was not changed.

Some who protested were even jailed. The most concerning part is that the teachers who were supposed to implement this system neither understood it nor were informed properly. They were simply told to teach it. Students became addicted to devices. When asked to study, they didn’t even know what to study. The education system went into a serious decline. Eventually, due to student protests, the government had to step down in humiliation. Law and order completely collapsed. People loyal to the ruling party at various levels of the state began resigning. Even our tender-hearted students started feeling they had a role to play.

They felt their dignity would be lost if they couldn’t make a few people resign. So they joined in. Some opportunistic groups started using them, enjoying the instability they were causing in society and the state. Now, school principals across the country are scared and anxious. Not because they will resign. They are afraid for their honor, because that’s all a teacher really has. Most of us school heads are in the twilight of our lives, aged. We never imagined that we would have to face such humiliation at the hands of our own children. Many have already resigned under pressure, some have gone into hiding to preserve their dignity.

How will they answer their families? How will they face their children? The same families who struggled with hardship all their lives now see them being dishonored and falsely blamed. There is hope, though. The government may give their jobs back. But can it restore their dignity? There is hope in the fact that many students have now realized their mistakes. On social media, we see them welcoming their teachers back with respect. Hopefully, all teachers will be brought back with the honor they deserve. In the end, I will say this.

Whoever is behind this movement, their misunderstanding will end. The chaos that existed in the education system during the past government must be cleared out. A new Bangladesh will move forward with everyone’s collective effort. Teachers, too, will act with professionalism and responsibility, helping shape their students into enlightened human beings. Only then will they be able to truly reclaim their dignity, and I believe they will.