THE role of a teacher in society is both significant and valuable and it has far-reaching influence on society and no other personality can have an influence more profound than that of a teacher.

Name any institution in the world, be it the judiciary, army, police, politicians or technocrats, journalists have all passed through the hands of a teacher at one point or the other.

A good and visionary teacher can play a prominent role in shaping up the future of his/her students.

A teacher makes up one of the most critical areas of national economy and as such, teachers need to live and operate in a more befitting atmosphere.

A teacher is in the universal education category, which is one of the eight main components of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) the world hopes to achieve by the year 2015.

Other MDGs are ending poverty and hunger, gender equality, child health, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability and global partnership

Therefore, the announcement by Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary, Lillian Kapulu that the Government has released K21.5 billion for the payment of outstanding teachers' allowances country-wide is a more than welcome message.

The announcement on allowances could not have come at a better time than now, especially with the festivities of Christmas and New Year around us.

The acrimony that existed between the teachers and their employers which led to the downing of chalks at some point should now be a thing of the past.

Teachers, like anyone else with the spirit of developing this nation in earnest, should learn to exercise patience and tolerance because one time or the other, monies owed would one day be paid.

The Government is committed to ensuring that teachers operate under a very conducive atmosphere and would continue to disburse the funds so that it benefits the teachers.

And as we enter 2010 and march towards the attainment of the MDGs, teachers will be required to play a pivotal role in helping to attain the universal goals.