In most societies, money is measured in shillings, dollars, or whatever currency jingles in our pockets and digits in our bank accounts. That’s the traditional view – cash as the ultimate form of wealth. But what if that’s only part of the truth? What if money exists in higher, more powerful forms?
A refreshing perspective proposes that there are five forms of money: credibility, social credibility, integrity, competence and finally, cash—the least powerful and most perishable of them all. Surprisingly, while many teachers may lack cash, they are exceedingly rich in the first four forms. Here’s how.
Credibility: When a teacher’s word builds worlds
The first and most powerful form of money is credibility. It is the strength of your word, the trust others place in what you say and do. For teachers, credibility is daily currency. Students walk into classrooms trusting that the teacher knows what they’re doing. Parents entrust their children’s minds and futures to teachers based on belief, not proof. School heads delegate roles to certain staff members because they’ve proven reliable over time.
A credible teacher can calm a riotous class with a mere look. They are the ones a principal will call upon during a crisis, knowing they’ll respond with reason and calm. In staffrooms and communities, their advice is sought, their judgment respected. That level of trust, built on years of consistency and truthfulness, is worth more than gold. A credible teacher may not have much cash, but they have something better: the ability to influence lives and systems just by showing up.
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Social credibility: who speaks for you?
Social credibility is about association and endorsement. It is the wealth that comes from those willing to vouch for you. Teachers may not own companies or sit on corporate boards, but many have people – former students, colleagues, head teachers, church leaders – willing to stand by them.
Think of the teacher whose former student is now a senator, a doctor, a CEO. That former student can speak one word on behalf of their former mentor, and doors swing open. A principal might recommend a teacher for a government scholarship, or a respected parent might help a teacher’s child secure an internship. That is money in a powerful form.
Many teachers live modest lives, but their networks are vast. They know people. And more importantly, people know them – and speak well of them. That is a form of capital that no bank holds.
Integrity: Wealth that can’t be bought or stolen
Integrity is one of the most undervalued but essential currencies in the world. It is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. For teachers, integrity is everything. It’s the backbone of a profession that shapes minds and molds values.
In the staffroom, teachers with integrity are those who resist exam malpractice, who won’t alter marks for bribes, who return a forgotten purse, who speak the truth even when it costs them. These teachers may not be on payrolls padded with allowances, but their sleep is peaceful, their conscience clean, and their influence lasting.
When a school is rocked by scandal, who do parents rally behind? The teacher whose integrity is known. When leadership positions are up for grabs, who is considered? The one whose name is untainted.
Integrity may not pay today’s bills, but it builds tomorrow’s legacy.
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Competence: skill that attracts opportunity
Competence is the practical currency of the working world. It is the ability to deliver results, solve problems, and add value. A competent teacher is never jobless for long. Their results speak. Their students pass. Their lessons are engaging. Their classes are orderly.
Many teachers complain of being overburdened—not because they volunteered, but because everyone knows they can deliver. That’s competence being rewarded. They are given exam classes, appointed to lead departments, selected to moderate regional assessments, or invited to train others.
Competence brings visibility. It opens chances to speak at workshops, get hired for extra coaching, or even rise in ranks. Sometimes, competence may not immediately translate to money, but it builds a solid reputation that eventually attracts promotion, honor, and yes—income.
Cash: The lowest form of wealth
And now we come to cash—the form of money most people use to judge success. Sadly, this is where most teachers fall short—not because they are lazy, but because the system does not reward them fairly. Their salaries are often delayed, their allowances overlooked, and their efforts underappreciated.
And yet, it is this lowest form of money that society uses to define a teacher. People look at a teacher’s shoes or car—or lack thereof—and conclude they are poor. That is not just unfair—it is ignorant.
Cash can be lost, stolen, or devalued. It can disappear in a moment. But credibility? Integrity? Competence? These are wealth forms that endure.
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Teachers may lack money in the bank, but they have stored wealth in hearts, minds, and memories. Ask any successful person to name five people who shaped their life, and at least one will be a teacher. That influence is priceless.
If we judge wealth by how much cash someone has, teachers will always appear poor. But if we embrace a richer, broader understanding of money – one that includes credibility, social proof, integrity, and competence – then teachers are among the richest people in our society.
They may not drive the biggest cars or wear designer suits, but they carry wealth in their character, in their contribution, and in the future they build daily through students.
So the next time someone says, “Teachers are poor,” ask them: “Poor by which standard?”
Because by the standards that truly matter, teachers are the wealthiest professionals alive.
By Ashford Kimani
Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub County and serves as Dean of Studies.
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