While attending this year’s Archdiocese of Nairobi Teachers’ Day at St. Mary’s School, Msongari, something the keynote speaker, Prof. Laban Ayiro, said struck me like a thunderbolt: “Teaching cannot make anyone rich.” That stung. But what followed was more consoling and far more profound: “There is greater satisfaction in being a teacher than being rich through teaching.”
Indeed, there is a kind of greatness in being a teacher that far outweighs the riches one might acquire through the profession. To be a teacher is not merely to earn a living – it is to give life. Teaching, at its core, is not a business transaction; it is a sacred calling. It’s not about how much money one makes, but about how many minds one shapes. In a world that often measures success through wealth, teachers stand as a powerful contradiction: true greatness lies not in fortune, but in impact.
Teachers are builders of nations, shapers of culture, and custodians of knowledge. They prepare learners not just for exams, but for life. While many careers are driven by profits and margins, teaching is driven by purpose. Within every classroom lies raw potential, and it is the teacher’s hand that molds it into promise. This task may not be glamorous in the world’s eyes, but it is undeniably noble. A lesson taught today may bear fruit decades later – in boardrooms, in hospitals, in government, or in homes. The impact of a good teacher is timeless.
Of course, there are those who enter education with the hope of financial gain. They commercialize the classroom – selling revision materials, offering tuition, or building educational enterprises. While there’s nothing wrong with earning from one’s skill, problems arise when profit becomes the primary goal. When learners are treated as customers and not students, education becomes a transaction, not a transformation. The dignity of the profession is diminished.
ALSO READ:
Students sent home after fire destroys dormitories at Tarach Secondary in Turkana
True greatness in teaching is not measured by how much one earns, but by how faithfully, patiently, and lovingly one nurtures learners. It’s the greatness of rising each morning to face noisy classrooms, struggling readers, rebellious teens, or broken systems—and choosing to stay. It’s the greatness of believing in a child when no one else does and helping them become someone the world admires. It’s the greatness of choosing to build others rather than a personal empire.
For learners, a good teacher is unforgettable. Adults often recall, with warmth and gratitude, the teacher who first told them they had potential. The one who saw past their low grades and treated them with dignity. The one who stayed after class to offer help, or gave them the courage to believe in themselves. These acts of grace don’t appear on pay slips and cannot be measured in bonuses. But they are seeds of greatness, planted by teachers who understood that their work went beyond the curriculum.
Sadly, the value of teachers is often undermined in society. In many places, teachers are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. Yet, they continue to show up. They mark books late into the night, visit homes of struggling students, mentor learners in corridors, and raise their voices when injustice calls. They do it not because it pays well, but because it is the right thing to do. Because they believe – deeply – in the power of education to uplift, liberate, and transform.
Yes, some become rich through teaching – through publishing, consultancy, or founding schools – and they may be praised for their innovation. But they are not necessarily greater than the classroom teacher who never made millions but never gave up on her students. Wealth may buy comfort, but it cannot purchase character. It can open doors of privilege, but not purpose. True greatness is found in the teacher who teaches with heart, not for gain.
READ ALSO:
Finlay’s Trust awards KSh 8.7 million TVET scholarships to 40 youths in Bomet and Kericho
What makes a teacher great is not just knowledge, but wisdom. Not just the ability to instruct, but the willingness to inspire. A teacher may guide hundreds of learners over the years and never see the fruit of their labour. Yet they teach anyway. They may never receive standing ovations or six-figure salaries, but they win the silent, enduring gratitude of the children they serve. That kind of greatness is beyond price.
Across the country – in rural outposts, urban slums, refugee camps, and informal settlements – teachers are doing the quiet, invisible work of building a better tomorrow. They do not wear the robes of power or occupy high political office, but they carry the future in their hands. Their tools are not wealth and status, but chalk, compassion, wisdom, and presence. In a world obsessed with riches, the teacher pursues worth – helping each learner discover their own.
To be a teacher is to accept that the fruits of your labour may only be seen long after you’re gone. It is to pour into others, often with little left for yourself. It is to remain committed to a cause that may never make you rich – but will make you remembered. That is greatness: quiet, humble, enduring.
So let us honour our teachers – not just with speeches on ceremonial days, but with fair pay, professional respect, and societal esteem. Let us remind the world that the greatest among us are not those with the largest bank accounts, but those who shaped the minds that built the world. Let us teach our children that success is not defined by wealth, but by service. Because truly, there is a greatness in being a teacher that no riches in teaching can ever rival.
By Ashford Kimani
Kimani teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub County and serves as Dean of Studies.
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
