Evaluate before commenting

I WRITE in support of the Frustrated Chalk Duster of Goroka with regard to teachers being blamed of poor academic performance.
For an illiterate, who has never been to any formal educational system to say that teachers are to be solely blamed for poor academic performance, is understandable.
However, for someone who has gone through the system, he/she should be well- versed with the challenges and difficulties that teachers go through daily to educate you and others in your school.
There are two things one should consider before making such comments.
When we say “poor performance”’, how do we measure it?
What are the criteria used to determine that performance is poor?
It is shameful making comments that do not have any basis.
There are several factors that contribute to students’ performances.
These include availability of resources, equipment and materials, student-teacher ratio, students’ upbringing and the list goes on.
Moreover, success in academic performance requires combined effort from the teachers, students themselves, government of the day, parents and other stakeholders.
If a teacher in your school is not performing as expected, you as a concerned citizen or parent should consult the proper authorities (board-of-governors’ chairman, principal, inspector, etc) and sort it out.
Please do not make baseless comments that will only tarnish the good name of hardworking teachers and even demoralise them.

A Dedicated Teacher
Joel Megusa Tahie