Pressure on teachers is pressure on learning

2026-02-07 - 00:16

UNIVERSITIES provide a platform for learning, inquiry and intellectual freedom where individuals acquire knowledge, skills and competence in specific domains. The higher education ecosystem revolves around the university teacher, who is responsible not only for delivering subject knowledge but also for inspiring, motivating and encouraging self-paced learning. Teachers are expected to shape minds for the future and inculcate social and ethical values. However, most teachers are unable to meet these ideal expectations because universities often fail to provide an enabling environment that allows them to become their best. They are overburdened with excessive teaching loads, administrative responsibilities and non-academic tasks. Career progression appointments are delayed, while training and research opportunities remain limited or inaccessible. As a result, some teachers gradually transform into what may be described as “Beast Teachers,” adopting a defensive, rigid and bee-stinging behaviour. This is not an inherent trait but a reaction to continuous pressure and systemic exploitation by institutions that neither nurture nor support them to become “Best Teachers.” Such teachers become reactive and emotionally guarded in their professional roles. Unfortunately, students suffer the most in this situation, as they fail to receive the quality education they enrolled for. Institutional objectives such as teamwork, collaboration and peer learning are also compromised, weakening the overall academic culture. One of the major reasons for teacher demotivation is stalled career progression. University teachers, like professionals in any field, expect advancement once they fulfill the required qualifications, experience and research publications. However, delays in next-level appointments are common. These appointments represent not only financial incentives but also recognition of intellectual and professional contributions. When teachers remain stuck in the same position for years despite meeting criteria, they experience frustration and demoralization. This stagnation directly affects their performance in classrooms and offices and disrupts the entire teaching-learning cycle. All stakeholders suffer as institutional goals remain unmet and students fail to achieve meaningful learning outcomes. The second major factor contributing to demotivation is the lack of equal opportunities for personal and professional development. Due to funding constraints, universities offer limited opportunities for training, conferences and academic exposure, often through non-transparent, pick-and-choose processes. Research is the lifeline of universities and academic growth. When conference funding or sabbatical leave is denied and teachers are simultaneously burdened with heavy teaching loads, innovation and intellectual advancement become impossible. Campuses then resemble routine teaching institutions rather than centers of inquiry and discovery. Graduates produced under such conditions may operate systems efficiently but lack mastery in their disciplines. They become followers rather than leaders, weakening national socio-economic development as learning experiences become outdated. The third major cause of demotivation is performance pressure created by the “publish or perish” culture combined with student evaluations. Without adequate research facilities, funding and administrative support, conducting meaningful research becomes extremely difficult. Yet teachers are required to publish a minimum number of research papers annually in recognized journals. Simultaneously, they remain under constant scrutiny through student evaluations and compliance requirements imposed by regulators, councils and government departments. These expectations often ignore institutional limitations and resource shortages. Such continuous pressure from authorities, peers, students and external stakeholders has serious psychological consequences. Teachers are questioned about university performance without consideration of essential conditions such as a conducive academic environment. Constant monitoring through evaluations and administrative checks gradually erodes motivation. Over time, teachers become emotionally exhausted and may develop aggressive or authoritarian behaviour. Individuals once known for patience and empathy become irritable, which contradicts the spirit of higher learning. Students suffer the most, receiving degrees without depth or intellectual rigour. Society ultimately bears the cost when graduates lack critical thinking, collaboration skills and professional maturity. The solution lies not in blaming teachers but in reforming the system that shapes them. First, appointment and promotion processes must be transparent, merit-based and time-bound. Teachers who meet criteria should be promoted without unnecessary delays. Second, universities must invest in research by providing grants, balanced teaching workloads and access to national and international academic opportunities. Research should be facilitated rather than treated as an additional burden. Third, institutional leadership must move from control to collaboration. Teachers should be trusted as professionals and involved in decision-making processes. Constructive feedback must replace punitive monitoring, while mental health support, mentoring and professional development programs should become integral components of university policy. Most importantly, universities must recognize that a teacher’s wellbeing is directly linked to teaching quality. When teachers are respected, supported and empowered, they remain Best Teachers. If relentless pressure continues, institutions should not be surprised when classrooms reflect frustration rather than inspiration. — The writer is Director, Higher Education Commission, Islamabad. (muneermirjat@gmail.com)