The "call" to religious life was once the wish of every parent for their son or daughter. The belief was that this call came from God, even though it was bandied about regularly that the vocation was more the mother's than that of the young aspirant. Nevertheless, the vocation to the priesthood, sisterhood or brotherhood had the effect of making a privileged class out of those who answered the call, even though, within religious life itself, great neglect abounded of physical, emotional, sexual and social welfare.

Individuality and difference were quashed and sameness was the norm. The drastic effects of this anonymity have been emerging over the last decade. What is often forgotten is that there were other "call" professions which have also suffered equal neglect and exploitation. Even though not seen as divinely located, the call to teaching and nursing had that vocational twist that implied that those called should deem themselves privileged.

What underpinned the vocational professions was the convention that one should not complain because one had the privilege of serving others - the sick, the mentally disturbed and children. To voice any need was seen as selfish, and for long years passivity dominated the vocational professions. It is not then surprising that, in a time when the love of self is seen as the cornerstone for the love of others, nursing and teaching are no longer seen as attractive professions.

Excellent nurses and teachers have left professions that were manipulative and exploitative. There is now a growing shortage of both teachers and nurses and nurses are being imported from the Philippines. Certainly, the hand-person status of nursing, the poor salary, the major role demands, the powerlessness and limited career development finally caused both an exodus and the current low level of applications for entry to the profession.

Teachers have been similarly neglected in a time of increasing role demands, poor salary, second highest pupil-teacher ratio in Europe, a punishing exam-directed education system and a great lack of back-up professional support.

Staff relationships, ongoing professional development, students in distress, poorly trained managers, limited career opportunities and lowered status are examples of some of the areas that governments have consistently ignored. Many wonderful teachers have left the system and are pursuing careers that are more appreciative of their drive, ambition and skills.

It is vital that the profile of the teaching profession is improved in terms of qualifications, career opportunities, attractive salary and life-time professional development - but in terms of status and power to shape an educational philosophy that is holistic in nature and not at the mercy of the tunnelled vision of political and economic forces.

The three most important professions in society are parenting, teaching and nursing. It is regrettable that the first profession is still not recognised and that many parents are floundering in the raising of their children in a rapidly changing Ireland.

The school is the second home of children, and in partnership with parents, needs to provide for the total development of children - physical, social, emotional, intellectual, educational, spiritual, sensual, recreational and occupational.

Children deserve teachers who are highly motivated, well qualified and love children. Teachers need to be well-paid, well-mannered, have a manageable pupil-teacher ratio and back-up from educational psychologists, family therapists, counsellors, social workers, resource teachers, home-school liaison and effective leadership. The present pay crisis is but the tip of the iceberg of an exploited and stressed profession. Research reliably shows that teaching is now the most stressful social occupation, above police officers, prison officers, medical doctors and dentists.

The fallout from stress is not only the high level of stress-related illnesses, early retirement on stress and sickness grounds, the move to other professions, but the poor literacy and numeracy levels of a high percentage of 14-year-olds. Some surveys have suggested that anything up to 50 per cent of teachers hate teaching. It is not possible for these teachers to inspire children with a love of learning.

It would appear that the present fair pay claim being made by the secondary school teachers, which will be followed, and rightly so, by the primary teachers, is the least of the Government's problems in attempting to heal a neglected and demoralised profession.

Dr Tony Humphreys is a consultant clinical psychologist and author of Work and Worth - take back your life