The Silent Struggle: When Will We Stand Up for Our Teachers?

The Silent Struggle : When We Will Stand Up For Our Teachers ?

Teacher are not just professionals. They are nation -Builders, life -shapers, and quiet warriors who carry the hopes of entire generations . Yet in many parts of India , especially in Uttar Pradesh (UP) ,teachers are treated as if they are nothing more than names on an attendance register - forgotten , unheard and disrespected. One of the most heartbreaking examples of this is the policy that forces teachers to attend schools during summer Vacations ,even when classroom are empty and students are safely at home. 

Why are we pushing teachers to sit in lifeless rooms, day after day, when the very purpose of education—students—are not present? What are we trying to prove by enforcing such meaningless routines? A Policy That Forgets Humanity Uttar Pradesh faces scorching heat during May and June. Schools are closed to protect children from the dangerous temperatures, yet teachers are still ordered to report, with no meaningful work to perform. Most government schools lack even the basic infrastructure.

There are no air conditioners. Many have broken fans or none at all. Teachers are made to sit for hours in these sweltering buildings, risking heatstroke and exhaustion—not to teach, not to grow, but simply to "mark presence." How can such a system claim to value education when it shows so little value for educators? Teachers: The Most Neglected Guardians of Our Future
In reality, teachers in UP are being stretched to their limits.
They are expected to:
• Teach in overcrowded classrooms.
• Take on non-teaching responsibilities like elections, surveys, and census work.
• Manage underfunded schools with crumbling infrastructure.
• Work through salary delays and poor administrative support.
While other government departments enjoy timely benefits and allowances, teachers are left behind. They are called on to serve the country in every way possible, but when it's time to support them, the system turns its back.
Where Are the Teacher Unions?
Perhaps the most painful betrayal comes from where teachers expected protection—their own unions. There is a growing feeling among teachers that the unions are no longer fighting for them. Many believe unions now serve the government's agenda, not the teachers'.
When teachers ask:
• Who will raise our concerns?
• Who will fight for humane working conditions?
• Who will protect us from meaningless and punishing policies?
There is only silence.
If unions won't stand for teachers, who will?
Is This a System That Cares About Teachers?
It's time we ask ourselves honestly:
• Why are we treating teachers like this?
• Why are we ignoring their physical and mental health?
• Why are we blind to their silent suffering?
When a system forces teachers into empty schools during dangerous heatwaves, ignores their basic rights, and leaves their voices unheard—it's not hard to see that it is becoming an anti-teacher system. And when teachers are broken, demotivated, and burnt out—it's not just teachers who suffer. It's our children. It's our future.
What Needs to Change
• Stop forcing teachers to attend schools during summer vacations when there is no essential work.
• Unions must return to their true purpose: protecting teachers and demanding fair, respectful policies.
• Provide safe, comfortable, and dignified working conditions.
• Pay teachers on time. Give them rest. Offer them opportunities for meaningful professional growth.
• Use vacations for optional training, curriculum development, or online community engagement—not to check a box.
A Call for Humanity
Teachers are human beings. They have families. They have health needs. They deserve the same empathy and protection that we so quickly extend to others. When we disrespect teachers, we disrespect the soul of education. Let us remember: It is the teacher who stands quietly behind every doctor, every engineer, every leader, and every success story. If we truly care about the future, we must stand up for our teachers today.

-Gaurav