October 5, 2022 at 8:14 am
World Teachers’ Day 2022: Teachers around the world deserve more than thanks, governments must listen
The MUT is today celebrating the UNESCO and Educational International World Teachers’ Day 2022, which for this year it has the theme “The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers”. World Teachers’ Day is held annually on 5 October to celebrate all teachers around the globe. It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. World Teachers’ Day has been celebrated since 1994. The MUT is a member of Education International.
This year’s UNESCO theme celebrates the critical role of teachers in transforming learners’ potential by ensuring they have the tools they need to take responsibility for themselves, for others and for the planet. It is a call on countries to ensure that teachers are trusted and recognized as knowledge producers, reflective practitioners, and policy partners.
On the occasion, Education International General Secretary David Edwards stated that “to truly celebrate World Teachers’ Day, we must go beyond thanking teachers. We must invest in quality public education systems. We call on governments everywhere to invest in teachers, guarantee labour rights and good working conditions, involve teachers in decision-making, and trust their pedagogical expertise. The transformation starts with teachers. We are the beating heart of education.”
These issues are felt locally as well, with reform fatigue, lack of autonomy and an absence of real consultation on many changes affecting the education sector. According to MUT President Marco Bonnici “there are many issues endemic to the education system which have been flagged time and time again throughout the years. Trusting and respecting teachers, and treating them as professionals, is not a matter of commemorating ‘World Teachers’ Day’ once a year but should be an in-built element of the system that awards expertise and quality.”
This #WorldTeachersDay, teachers around the world are calling on all governments to invest in teachers, to involve teachers, to trust teachers and to respect teachers.
