"It's Not Easy": Woman Opens Up About the Sad Part of Being a School Teacher in a Disadvantaged Area

• A teacher shared how working in a disadvantaged area affected her emotionally, as she constantly worried about her learners’ well-being
• She explained the frustration of seeing potential wasted due to difficult home environments and limited opportunities
• Many people related to her story, especially educators who said they face similar emotional pressure daily; others acknowledged the unseen sacrifices
• Briefly News reached out to Honey Mofokeng, who is currently doing her teaching practicals, to share her experience of working in under-resourced schools

Teaching is often seen as a stable and respectable career, but there’s a side of it that people don’t always see. One woman opened up about her experience, and it went far beyond lesson plans and classrooms. It was raw, emotional and deeply personal. The kind of honesty that makes you pause and really think about what teachers carry every day.

TikTok user @tashiaduskjones posted a video on 25 February 2026, opening up about the emotional side of teaching in a disadvantaged area, and her honesty left many people reflecting. She spoke about how her late aunt once warned her about choosing teaching as a career, something she now understands from lived experience.

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She explained that the hardest part is not the teaching itself, but the emotional weight that comes with it. Worrying about whether learners have eaten, whether they are safe at home, and whether they even have a fair chance at success takes a toll. For her, the job goes far beyond the classroom, and that is where it becomes overwhelming.

Emotional burden behind classroom teaching realities

She also spoke about the frustration of seeing potential go to waste due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control. Whether it’s learners dropping out or struggling due to their environment, she feels there is only so much she can do without risking her own stability. That balance between caring deeply and protecting her own livelihood is something she highlighted strongly.

Many South Africans resonated with user @tashiaduskjones's story, especially fellow teachers who said they face the same struggles daily. Others expressed appreciation for educators who continue to show up despite these challenges, recognising that teaching in such environments requires more than just academic effort, it requires emotional strength.

Honey told Briefly News that teaching in disadvantaged areas comes with challenges many people don’t fully understand.

Speaking about the realities on the ground, she said:

“In rural areas, basic resources like water, electricity, textbooks and technology are often in short supply. Teaching without these makes it difficult to deliver effective lessons, yet teachers are still expected to meet curriculum deadlines and ensure learners succeed.”

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She shared a personal experience that highlights how far teachers go to make learning possible.

“I remember in Grade 12, my chemistry teacher used a paracetamol tablet as part of an experiment. That shows the lengths teachers go to, often using whatever they have just to keep learning going.”

Despite the challenges, Honey emphasised that teaching is driven by purpose and resilience.

“Teaching is a calling. You show up for learners who depend on you as their hope for a better future. It’s inspiring, but it also comes with emotional and mental pressure, especially when you don’t have the resources you need.”

Check out the TikTok video below:

Here’s what netizens said

User361338623610 wrote:

“I am a teacher, but I will never allow any child of mine to be a teacher.”

Tebogo said:

“I regret taking this career every day. I'm currently off sick and as sick as I am, I'm at peace.”

Nickkie commented:

“Unfortunately, teaching is a calling. If you are not called to lead, guide, preserve, endure, etc., you will think that it is not worth a try… 26 years of experience with all ups and downs, but when you see, you will think I just joined.”

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TD Mnguni wrote:

“Kanti kwenzakalani sis, Niya sithusa Nkosi yami, that time I'm doing third year kwi foundation phase.”

Mrs-T said:

“I know exactly what you are on about, 6 years was enough for me as an Educator and I opted to work for the district instead… It gets too much.”

Dikgetho_lulet commented:

“I have adopted some kids in my school… they come to share lunch with me daily… teaching in rural areas is hard emotionally, honestly.”

Kegoirene wrote:

“Yoo Sis, I can fully relate… Only managed 9 months… My mental health sana, it broke me seeing what kids go through.”

lesegoM said:

“15 years in… but I feel so frustrated… being part of a system that is so resistant to change… it kills the passion.”

Bono_maduma commented:

“I even advise my matrics against choosing teaching… I’ve taught private and public… yoooh it’s something else… let’s just do our best while we are still teachers.”

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Nozibusiso Simphiwe Zwane wrote:

“I will forever be a teacher… but what our little ones go through because of their parents… I’m always preparing, while some kids come to school neglected.”

3 Other Briefly News stories about teachers

• A local school shared a heartwarming post about the duties teachers find themselves doing for their primary school learners without signing up for them.
• A South African teacher working in China filmed a heartwarming exchange in which his young learner enthusiastically requested a lesson in the Setswana language.
• The Western Cape Department of Education suspended a teacher accused of humiliating a learner, leaving Mzansi stunned.

Source: Briefly News