There’s always hope when you refuse to give up...

Media recently reported that a primary school that was facing closure was instead thriving under the tutelage of a team of caring and committed teachers.

Headed by a Principal who simply refused to give up, the team of teachers, all of them committed beyond what is normally expected of a teacher, went into action, giving their very best to the children, almost all of whom came from poor homes. Not stopping at only academic excellence, the teachers went on to make sure that the children were given a solid meal, probably the only one the children have for the day.

The school went on to do well that parents started to enrol their children for the next year. To the average Sri Lankan ear, it is a story beyond compare. Stories like this warms our hearts but we don't hear such stories as often as we like to. It is a story that gives us all hope. Firstly to know and understand that not all teachers are as mediocre as you would think. Secondly to know that the most hopeless situation can indeed web turned around.

Second chance

The teachers could have so easily got themselves transferred out of a barren area that forced them to take two buses and also walk considerably, resulting in their slippers giving way ever so often, but they didn't. One of the teachers actually boarded himself close by so that he could spend more time at the school. It was a tough life but it was worth it to see the children, almost all of them dirt poor, blossom under a dedicated tutelage, a labour of love so unseen and rare in today's commercially driven world.

The children are grateful for the single meal the school supplies: without feeding their stomachs, there's not much point in trying to feed their minds. Children can rarely learn on an empty stomach. The teachers have got their priorities right: to me, theirs is an endeavour that should make national headlines in place of the usual crime that makes news almost everyday.

Many times when all you want to do is give up, it is worth to remind yourself about second chances. About not giving up no matter how hopeless the circumstances might be. There’s always hope at the end of the tunnel - if you have the patience and the determination to stay on course.

For the children of that school, a team of dedicated teachers made the difference. A difference that will change their destinies, taking them to heights they could not have achieved otherwise. There’s so much beauty in human soul when we choose to make a difference.

In a world where only bad news makes the day, stories such as these empower us to go on, to instill hope in others and encourage them to do something they have not done before, something out of hope and expectation.

Outstanding commitment

The team of teachers at this school chose to do more than merely encourage the youngsters - they chose to invest in their futures. They chose to stay where others before them may have gone. They chose to sow the seeds that would bring in a blessed harvest.

There are so many stories out there that break your heart. There are stories where people blame the authorities for inaction, for schools that close and for so many other things. But it is stories like this, where someone somewhere chooses to make a difference and not just blame the authorities; but go out of the way to do something different, something right that bounces back into such an enriching experience that stands out as an example to others.

Teachers such as these must not only be encouraged but also feted and recognized for their outstanding commitment. They chose to do what others would have shunned; they also changed the perception of teachers as merely paid employees. They showed the world that there are still teachers who care for the students, who are not driven by commercial motives alone. They give hope for the profession of teaching, inspiring others to join what as and still is a noble profession. They should be highlighted as exemplary tutors whose efforts will undoubtedly produce outstanding pupils.

The labour of love here makes you have faith in humanity at a time such as this when it is so easy to lose all faith and simply give up.