THE EDITOR, Sir:
A recent news item suggested that there are jitters in the teaching profession. It seems that teachers are being recruited by foreign countries.
For decades, our teachers and nurses have been in high demand. There is both a push and a pull factor involved. These young teachers are likely to receive between five and seven times what they earn here. They will also reap the benefits from living in a rich, developed country. Our Government just cannot match these benefits, nor can it afford to train professionals for these markets.
One source that we continue to overlook is hundreds of retired teachers who are twiddling their thumbs at home bored. Many are slowly coming to the realisation that pension cheques just won’t cut it.
All this is because we continue to cling to common, outdated stereotypes of retired persons as drooling, doddering old folk in rocking chairs. There are hearty, healthy persons in retirement who can enrich classrooms with their maturity and leadership.
There is a cohort out there, rich with ideas and skills. We ignore them to our peril.
GLENN TUCKER