There are many questions that disturb my peace of mind at the end of every working day, during weekends and during vacations and holidays. During these times, I observe people — office workers, students, teachers and people from all walks of life — happy, joyful and relaxed. It is as if they have found relief from misery and that all their problems have been solved.
When the vacation ends, the return to school or work is always accompanied by distress, sadness, worry and the like. This has become a familiar scenario in the lives of many people, something that makes me sit and ponder. Do you think that our schools and workplaces are so unpleasant and unbearable that they create such feelings among people of all age groups?
I agree that vacations are important and that every student and employee is in great need of having a break after exerting themselves at work and study. People always need to relax in order for them to be able to restore their energy and to be able to continue working. Do you think that our annual holidays and vacations are not long enough? The reality does not support such an assumption. I believe our vacations are sufficient. Students and working people that live in the Kingdom are more privileged than people living in other countries in the number of vacations they receive.
The bitter reality, however, as confirmed by many studies, is that work and school environments are unpleasant, unappealing and repulsive. At work we notice that for many employees opportunities of advancement are limited. We also notice that the atmosphere in the workplace is extremely discouraging and influenced by a sense of individualism and selfishness. We also find workplaces managed by a weak leadership that is saturated with people who compliment each other and curry personal favors. Jobs tend to lack incentives and employees have a limited chance to participate in decision-making. The workplaces also lack a comfortable atmosphere that deals with the social needs of employees.
As for the atmosphere in the Kingdom’s schools, we find them unpleasant and unlikable. Students complain that teachers are abusive. The curriculum doesn’t fulfill the their needs. Schools lack entertainment facilities and thus make education a long and exhausting experience. In other words, most educational environments are not fit or appropriate for their roles.
About 68 percent of teachers that participated in a recent survey said they continue to be satisfied with their jobs despite the obstacles they face because they believe in the importance of education. I believe that we desperately need to change society’s perception about work and school.
