We Ask Teachers to Care. But Who Cares for Them?

We often talk about what teachers should do. They should be patient, listen to every child, understand their struggles, and make sure no student feels left behind. But how often do we ask whether teachers have enough time to do all of this? Teaching today involves much more than standing in a classroom. Attendance records, reports, surveys, and administrative tasks take up a significant part of a teacher's day. A study by the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration found that Indian government school teachers spend around 19% of their annual school hours on teaching and related activities.

That raises an important question: if teachers spend so much time on paperwork, when do they get the time to teach?

Let Technology Give Teachers Time Back

India already has digital education systems such as UDISE Plus and Vidya Samiksha Kendras that collect and analyze educational data. The next step is to make this information more useful for teachers themselves. Imagine attendance being recorded only once, student progress being tracked automatically, and teachers receiving clear insights into the topics each child finds difficult. Instead of spending hours maintaining records, teachers could use that time to help students improve. Parents could also follow their children's progress more regularly. Technology cannot replace the human connection between a teacher and a student, but it can reduce the work that gets in the way of it.

Giving Teachers the Space to Care

At Make a Better Place (MABP), we believe that supporting children begins with supporting the people who teach and guide them. We train our volunteers to approach teaching with patience, empathy, and an understanding of each child’s individual needs. We encourage them to create a learning environment where children feel comfortable asking questions, expressing themselves, and learning at their own pace. We also recognize that volunteers need support to do this effectively. By simplifying routine responsibilities such as attendance management and meeting schedules, we reduce the need to manually track and remember every detail. These small but meaningful systems help ease the mental load on our volunteers, allowing them to devote more attention to the children they work with. For us, technology and thoughtful teaching go hand in hand. The goal is not simply to complete tasks more efficiently, but to create more time and space for meaningful learning, stronger relationships, and individual attention.

If you could take one responsibility off a teacher's plate, what would it be?

We are working towards this vision by supporting our volunteers and helping children grow beyond academics. You can be part of this journey, too. Join us as a volunteer at Make a Better Place and become part of a team that believes education is not just about teaching lessons, but about making a lasting difference in a child’s life.

Every child deserves a teacher who has time to notice them. And every teacher deserves a system that makes that possible.