On October 5, Rwanda joined the rest of the world to celebrate the United Nations World Teachers Day. The day is meant to celebrate the role teacher’s play in providing quality education at all levels but also highlight their challenges and chart a way forward.

Many teachers who talked to Education Times said life was much better than it used to be in the past and commended the government for introducing initiatives such as Umwalimu Sacco and Girinka Mwalimu among others. This, according to the teachers, has helped  boost their financial status and given them cause to continue training the future generation of Rwanda. However, challenges still exist. The educators say they need to be paid more than they are earning in order to ably support their own families. They also accuse parents of failing in their duty to properly raise their children, leaving the discipline of their children mostly in the hands of teachers.

And in Open Voice, our sex education forum, we share with you what students think about teacher-student relationships. We also give students tips on how to cope with a crush on your teacher. Enjoy!