Meet Ian Francis Manga, a teacher in Bulacan, Philippine. Err … What? Teacher ? Most of the people couldn’t believe their eye and so do i . Because this young man named Ian is 23 yo and he is a teacher in Mater-El-Roi School in Bulacan who teaches kindergarten and Primary 3 students , but with his small stature, childlike looks and voice, he is often mistaken for one of the students.
According to GMA News, He is 162cm tall and he thought his stunted growth caused by the frequent illness when he was a child and even after high school, Ian did not experience puberty or grow any facial hair. However, he has never consulted a doctor about his condition.
His baby face do puzzled him sometimes because he was often mistaken for his classmate’s younger brother or even their child. Strangers would also jeer at him and call him “little boy” and didn’t take him seriously. However, his mantra was: “Ignore them but also prove that you can do it, prove they are wrong.”
Ian always wanted to follow his mother’s footstep to be a teacher. He work very hard and his hard work paid off. Eventually ,He passed the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) on May. According to The Summit Express only 27% of the test-taker passed the exam .
Ian’s colleague thought because of his looks. It’s easier for him to connect with his students.
“I feel like an older brother to my students as we always play,” Ian shared.
Nevertheless, As a teacher he thought it’s important to be a role model of the students. He normally draw a clear line between playtime and lesson time . When come to teaching he is very serious. In order to look like a teacher, he also dresses in baggy clothes and stiff leather shoes.