Are we prostituting our live for money, rather than a purpose?

I have recently facilitated a workshop for principals and deputies in the Insikazi circuit, based in Hazyview in Mpumalanga.  This event was made possible through the leadership of the local circuit manager, who listened to a conversation I had in Nelspruit, and thought I can contribute to the enhancement and empowerment of his principals.

The workshop was conducted over two days, and focused on Curriculum Management by school leaders.  It involved 10 sessions, with an introductory session on the 'status of education in South Africa'.  This introductory session was the same one I briefly spoke about in an interview on Morning Live, one of the premier morning shows in South Africa (I included the video in my previous blog).

The conclusion to the two days deliberation was that we, as adult, can turn around the dismal state of education, by just making a choice to do things differently, and to focus more on the interest of the students rather than that of the adults.  Currently, the only beneficiaries of the huge budget that is spent on education, are the adults in the system.  The money is used for promotions, establishment of units and commissions, new and more senior positions at departmental level, etc.  And it is all assumed that the money that is let loose at the highest level, will eventually trickle down to the learners.

As discussed with colleagues during the workshop, I posted the following question: Are we prostituting our lives for money?  Are we only in the profession for the money.  Obviously the money or salary that we are earning is important, but it can't be the only thing that is important!  And to test this phenomena is when you are not happy to be a teacher, but you are just hanging in there for the money.  You doing it for the money because of the debt, to put food on the table, etc.  We end up living from the one salary to the next, with no visible impact in the lives of others, since we are only 'takers' rather than 'givers' in the overall system.

Should we have these tough conversations with ourselves?