“To build a resilient teacher workforce in times of crisis, all teachers should be equipped with digital and pedagogical skills to teach remotely, online, and through blended or hybrid learning, whether in high-, low- or no-tech environments,” *
Today, we’re celebrating the leading role of teachers in providing quality education to futures generations. But we must also listen to their voices & make sure they’re adequately supported & empowered in their jobs.
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With over 63 million teachers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, on World Teachers' Day, UNESCO urges increased investment in teachers for Learning Recovery
Celebrating the central role of teachers to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s World Teachers’ Day (5 October) will highlight the need for better training, professional development and leadership skills to mitigate learning disparities and support inclusive education at all levels through the recovery and beyond.
- World Teachers’ Day theme 2021:
"Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future"
A joint survey by UNESCO, UNICEF and the World Bank on responses to COVID-19 found that only half of all countries surveyed offered additional training on distance education for teachers, and fewer than one-third offered psycho-social support to help them handle the crisis.
- Some information:
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, which sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.
Warning that “without urgent action and increased investment, a learning crisis could turn into a learning catastrophe,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, and Education International General Secretary David Edwards call in a joint statement for the protection of education financing, investment in high-quality initial teacher education, as well as continuing professional development.
“To build a resilient teacher workforce in times of crisis, all teachers should be equipped with digital and pedagogical skills to teach remotely, online, and through blended or hybrid learning, whether in high-, low- or no-tech environments,” reads the statement.
The statement recognizes the impact of the COVID-19 crisis which has affected over 63 million teachers, highlighted persistent weaknesses in many education systems and exacerbated inequalities.
One and a half years into the COVID-19 crisis, the 2021 World Teachers’ Day will focus on the support teachers need to fully contribute to the recovery process under the theme “Teachers at the heart of education recovery”.
Teachers are a cornerstone of quality education systems and play a key role in building inclusive and equitable societies. While the deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is less than a decade away, COVID-19 has the potential to undermine efforts and reverse progress.
To support sustainable education recovery, teachers must be placed at the centre of all efforts. Closer monitoring of the global teacher targets (SDG 4.c) is central to achieve this.
While indicators of teacher quantity and quality remain important, more efforts are needed to understand teacher training programmes and qualifications, as well as support provided to teachers, including pedagogical, health and safety, psychosocial well-being and compensation. After all, the social standing and improvement of the profession depend heavily on these factors.
Despite global recognition of the importance of teachers in changing children’s lives and building sustainable and prosperous societies, they are all too often undervalued and under-empowered.
05.10.2021
*UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, and Education International General Secretary David Edwards call in a joint statement
