Teachers who have serious personality problems should not be made to teach in schools. A positive personality, mood and mental hygiene are seen as important facets in crafting emotional intelligence among teachers. These are constructive traits that would create an approachable ambience for pupils irrespective of race or religion to be close to them.

Personality traits and problems such as impulsiveness and destructive moods among teachers can affect the teacher pupil relationship. Teachers in their advisory and teaching capacity should be aware of these human symptoms that oftentimes get in the way when relating themselves to pupils who are multi racial and multi religious.

Despite the many efforts taken by the government to reduce the drop-out rate among school children, a significant number of these children are found to be reluctant to go to school a phenomenon observed both in the urban and rural areas. It was found that one of the reasons for this syndrome is the hatred pupils have for some teachers.

Some pupils fear going to school because they are tormented and teased by these teachers for no apparent reason. There have also been cases of pupils distancing themselves from moody teachers and end up storing hatred towards them. These destructive moods experienced by some teachers is actually a personality problem which is primarily mental.

There is no justification for teachers being at the mercy of their moods. Being a teacher, he or she must be able to keep himself in control. Bad moods are like snowballing venom it worsens when unrestrained. School principals should always be watchful of this set of symptoms among their teachers.

Teachers being unkind to innocent pupils in school can be avoided if teachers are more receptive to matters relating to their own personality, mood and mental hygiene. Pupils, too, have to be understood for their sensitiveness from the same perspectives.

A healthy school environment is where high standards of emotional intelligence are expected out of teachers with a sympathetic attitude maintained towards pupils of all races and religions. A high level of emotional intelligence among teachers enables them to acknowledge and value feelings of pupils of all creeds.

Teachers should also be able to communicate patiently, inspire and motivate pupils and at times empathise with them for their inadequacies or for they being different. They should win the hearts of their pupils with their own positive traits. It is indispensable that teachers be inwardly motivated to understand their own personal qualities and that of their pupils.

Studies have shown that teachers who have helped to boost their pupils' self esteem most are those who are fair to all, patient, of even temperament and firmness, kind and considerate, cooperative with a democratic attitude, and willing to encourage and praise their pupils.

With these characteristics owned by teachers, some of the problems faced by our schoolchildren today can be resolved in a very kind atmosphere.

The new education blueprint by the Ministry of Education should look into this aspect of our education and ensure that teachers with personality problems that could be detrimental to their pupils' well-being are weeded out from the system.