TEACHING BEYOND TOKENS

Rethinking Respect on Teachers' Day

- By Jumana Lukhmanjee

Each October, Teachers' Day arrives with speeches, flowers, and the exchange of tokens that symbolise gratitude.

Yet behind the smiles and carefully wrapped gifts, there lies a more complex reality: the teaching profession, particularly in Sri Lanka, is held up as noble in words but undermined in practice. As a drama teacher, I know the paradox well. In classrooms and rehearsal halls, we cultivate the next generation's voices, confidence, and imagination. But in staff rooms and policy spaces, we face low pay, overlooked effort, and a culture where respect too often takes the form of temporary gestures rather than systemic support. If Teachers' Day is to mean more than ceremonial applause, we must look honestly at how teachers are valued, rewarded, and remembered.

THE WEIGHT OF PASSION

Globally, research shows that teaching remains one of the most undervalued professions relative to its impact. The OECD's Education at a Glance (2023) notes that in many countries, teachers' salaries lag significantly behind those of similarly educated professionals. In Sri Lanka, salaries for teachers, particularly in the arts and extracurricular fields, remain low compared with the intensity of the workload. Many teachers take on multiple roles, balancing lesson preparation, marking, administration, and pastoral care, often without recognition. Why, then, do so many remain in the profession? The answer is passion. Studies in teacher motivation consistently highlight intrinsic drivers: the joy of seeing a child learn, the satisfaction of shaping futures, the moral calling to educate. These are not minor motivators—they are the glue holding a fragile system together. Without passion, the profession would collapse under the weight of low pay and limited appreciation.

THE GIFTING CULTURE: SYMBOL OR SUBSTITUTE?