EVEN FOR just one day, teachers across the globe take center stage for the celebration of World Teachers’ Day on October 5. Started in 1994, this annual event commemorates the signing of the 1966 recommendation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the status of teachers around the world.
This joint ILO-UNESCO undertaking has set the “benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.”
So much has been said about the lasting and profound impact that teachers have on our society. That teachers are the architects behind the slow but steady formation of future leaders is a given. Can you think of any other profession that instils critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills in people? Teachers guide their students through complex subjects and real-world challenges and in the process, help them develop a mindset that is geared towards solution-oriented thinking – one of the essential traits of any leader.
As the students’ second parents, their role ranges from academic instruction to values formation. They do not only teach skills; they also impart values that last a lifetime. These are the values that students carry with them as they navigate themselves through an ever-evolving world that is marked by rapid technological advancements and shifting social dynamics.
Every year during the World Teachers’ Day and in every graduation ceremony, we are moved by words expressed passionately and speeches delivered eloquently by students, parents and even by our government leaders. So, the more pressing question is, have we done enough for teachers? Has the government exerted efforts beyond lip service to honor teachers?
This year’s celebration is focused on the theme “Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education.” As the UNESCO puts it aptly, the theme underscores the “urgency of calling for and attending to teachers’ voices to address their challenges but, most importantly, to acknowledge and benefit from the expert knowledge and input that they bring to education.”
One might ask, what have the country’s teachers been telling us over the years that we have not taken time to listen attentively and act accordingly?
Teachers remain to be overworked, underpaid and unappreciated.
From lesson planning to administrative work, from attending various seminars to recalibrating their instructional strategies, from looking after the diverse needs of the learners to attending to the needs of an even more diverse and demanding parents, the list of day-to-day tasks is endless and oftentimes leads to burnout and frustration.
The salaries of both public and private teachers do not in any way reflect the paramount responsibility of nurturing the minds and touching the hearts of the country’s future leaders. This dilemma becomes even more pronounced when we hear of heart-breaking stories of retired teachers who rely on a meager retirement package and monthly pension.
One good way to appreciate teachers is for the government to invest heavily in their continuing education and professional development. This is one good way to keep them truly competitive and fully abreast with the educational trends and innovations. Instituting educational reforms needs the involvement of teachers whose combined experience and expertise achieved at the forefront make them ideal source of inputs in curriculum planning and review.
The world may be constantly changing but the importance of teachers cannot be overstated. While I don’t find anything wrong in reserving one day in a year to celebrate Teachers’ Day, let us make each day an opportunity to listen to the voices of our teachers, champion their causes and recognize their invaluable contributions to our society.
