WORLD TEACHERS' DAY
Almost everybody has a favorite teacher, someone who went above and beyond to encourage you because they could see your potential. On October 5, take time to celebrate World Teachers’ Day — a global event launched by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994.
Just as Matilda had Ms. Honey, Harry had Dumbledore, and Cady had Ms. Norbury, maybe you’re a teacher working hard to help young people learn and grow. Considering that teachers mold future generations, taking one day every year to say “thank you” is the least we can do. No matter where you are in the world today, remember that teachers matter! Become teacher yourself, educators from around the world fund students to learn and become one of them. Find a scholarship that will fit your education needs on this World Teachers’ Day.
HISTORY OF WORLD TEACHERS' DAY :
This holiday marks the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. It sets standards regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers for their initial preparation, further education, recruitment, employment, and learning conditions.
UNESCO’s 2020 message: “With the theme: ‘Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession,’ we recognize the critical importance of reaffirming the value of the teaching mission. We call upon governments to make teaching a profession of first choice for young people. Above all, we celebrate the work of dedicated teachers around the world who continue to strive every day to ensure that ‘inclusive and equitable quality education’ and the promotion of ‘lifelong learning opportunities for all’ become a reality in every corner of the globe.”
The official event will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on October 7 .
5 THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT TEACHERS :
Confucius was the First Teacher
Historically, Confucius is considered to be the first private teacher in history.
Education for all
According to UNESCO, the world needs 69 million teachers in order to achieve the goal of providing universal primary and secondary education by 2030.
The number of African educators are dwindling on the continent
Sub-Saharan Africa is the area facing the greatest deficit of teachers.
Teaching standards are plummeting
According to UNESCO, less than 75% of teachers in one-third of the world’s countries only meet the minimum teacher training standards.
Learning proficiency is down
6 out of 10 children worldwide—a total of 617 million—do not meet the minimum requirements for competency in mathematics and reading.
WHY WORLD TEACHERS' DAY IS IMPORTANT :
It honors the teaching profession
Waking up at the crack of dawn, having the patience of a saint and being a positive influence is stressful work — let’s face it, Cady would still be a mean girl if it wasn’t for Ms. Norbury. On World Teachers' Day, gifts, praise and parties are great ways to show you care.
It highlights current Issues affecting teachers
Sure, having summers off is a highly-coveted perk, but there are still many complex issues affecting teachers within educational systems throughout the world. These include maintaining academic freedoms, creating autonomy for educational institutions and developing and maintaining professional teaching standards in higher education. Fortunately, World Teachers' Day enables discussion in faculty meetings, webinars, seminars and conferences.
It applauds progress but challenges stagnation
Although the educational system and the role teachers play in it have come a long way, there is still a long way to go. Because of this, the United Nations created the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal for Education. World Teachers' Day is an annual reminder of this goal and the need to do more to encourage teachers to remain in education.
