South African Teachers Express Frustration and Despair in the Classroom in TikTok Videos

• South African educators face overwhelming challenges in the teaching sector, with apathy highlighted as a concern among educators
• These issues are being highlighted on TikTok, prompting discussions on the deteriorating state of the education profession
• Many South African teachers have expressed demotivation and regret in their careers, reflecting on the hardships and demanding responsibilities they endure

SOUTH AFRICA - South Africans in the teaching sector continue to raise heartbreaking points on the challenges faced by educators in the profession.

Challenges in schools shared on TikTok

Public schools in the country are faced with many challenges daily, which in turn hinder the learning process. A lack of resources, work overload, teachers having to teach overcrowded classrooms, teachers being underpaid and sometimes their salaries not being paid on time - the list is endless.

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TikTok account @ujandwitsstudents shares videos tabling these challenges. TikTokkers feel that the education profession is slowly deteriorating, with learners given too many rights while teachers are left out in the cold.

Below is one of the videos:

One person said:

"You cannot capacitate a teacher to be a policeman, a social worker and this and that, a teacher should be a teacher. That is why we have teacher apathy in this country. Underneath the iceberg of teacher apathy is the fact they are asked to do things that are impossible for one person to do."

Mzansi expresses demotivation to be teachers

Netizens offered their own experiences in the comment section, with many wishing they had chosen different careers.

Below are some of the reactions:

BlessedFaith commented:

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"When the then MEC visited our school to address matrics, she asked who wanted to be a teacher, but no one raised their hand. Teachers go through a lot."

Greatly_Loved had this to say:

"I went to do my 25 days of teaching practice two months back and the way I wanted to cry my eyes out every day after returning from school."

Thoko and Bokang commented:

"I have just started but I wish I could retire, learners are given so many rights and we are nothing."

Oom Sleg remarked:

"The salary compared to the conditions and responsibilities isn't worth it. I'd rather do something else."

Pinky shared these sentiments:

"It's really tough. It's not a joke. Teachers are going through a lot. No one is prepared to listen to challenges that teachers are going through."

Sinazo Bambeni said:

"I have been working for less than five years but I’m ready to quit. This career is the pits. It's not safe for us."

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Underpaid teacher shares payslip online

Briefly News previously reported on a teacher whose payslip was shared online and sparked worry among netizens on social media.

TikTok user @lifereset_za shared a payslip of a teacher in South Africa who earns less than R20K. This situation opened room for discussion across Mzansi, highlighting the challenges educators face compared to their salaries. Despite their role in shaping the future, there is still a long way to go in levelling the playing field in terms of salaries for South African educators.

Source: Briefly News