Formal education is undoubtedly very essential tool for nation building across the globe. The system which involves transfer of knowledge from a teacher to students through verbal lectures or teachings has seen the world flourish greatly as education empowers citizens with knowledge on how to tackle the various issues confronting the globe. However, the educational system is very much incomplete without school teachers whose academic and scholarly teachings breed students and prepare them for the future that lies ahead of them. It is important for the invaluable role of teachers to be given great recognition globally because the world cannot do without them. The United Nations Educational & Scientific Cultural Organisation mapped out October 5 of every year to mark the World Teachers Day (WTD).
World Teachers’ Day
The World Teachers’ Day, also referred in some cases as the International Teachers Day, is an annual celebration held on October 5. Established in 1994, the day is commemoration of the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation regarding the Status of Teachers, which is without a doubt, standard-setting tool that addresses the status and conditions of Teachers globally. Standards relating to education personnel policy, recruitment and training as well as continuous education of teachers, their employment, and working conditions, are some of the key issues outlined in the Recommendation establishing WTD.
Accompanied with a theme every year, the WTD has its major focus as “appreciating, assessing and improving the educators of the world.” October 5th presents an opportunity for global actors to consider issues related to teachers and teaching. Adoption of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education, and the dedicated target (SDG 4.c), which recognizes teachers as key to the achievement of the Education 2030 agenda, created room for the WTD to serve as benchmark towards evaluating the progress made so far and reflecting on measures suitable for countering the challenges confronting the promotion of the teaching profession.
Every year, UNESCO partners UNICEF, UNDP, the International Labour Organization, and Education International to celebrate the World Teachers’ Day, and equally mount a campaign to reach out to the world and give the globe a better understanding of the enormous role teachers play in the development of students and the society. Partnership with the private sector such as media organizations are formed to achieve the purpose of celebrating teachers on October 5. Everyone can contribute to this event by simply creating awareness on and off digital platforms especially social media about the status of teachers and issues concerning their profession.
World Teachers’ Day 2019
For this year’s celebration, teachers all over the world will be celebrated with the theme: Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession. The day is a unique opportunity to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide; taking stock of achievements made so far, and equally addressing some of the issues that are central and very important towards attracting and keeping the brightest minds and young talents in the scholarly profession. Owing to the fact that the commemoration date falls on a Saturday which is weekend, the official event will be held on Monday, October 7, 2019 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, in collaboration with the convening partners mentioned earlier.
Sources:
En.unesco
En.wikipedia
Featured Image Source: Awareness Days
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