More Teachers Lose Faith in Their Vocation

Teachers' morale has worsened in recent years, according to a survey conducted by the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations last week.

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In the online survey of 2,208 teachers nationwide, 75 percent replied their passion for work has been dampened in the last one or two years, a surge from 63.4 percent in 2010.

When asked why an increasing number of teachers opt for early retirement, 55.8 percent cited a growing lack of respect for teachers and difficulties in guiding students.

The survey also found that 22.6 percent felt stressed when there are complaints from parents, and a similar percent of respondents admitted they felt helpless to deal with violent or misbehaving students.

On the other hand, some 28 percent of teachers felt the most rewarded when their students feel a sense of achievement or satisfaction, 20.2 percent when they are respected by students and 13.9 percent when they feel their job is highly esteemed.