5th October 2022
Education International (EI), the global representative body for over 32 million teachers and education support personnel, is marking World Teachers’ Day today by calling for more investment and teacher involvement in meeting targets set at the World Education Forum in 2015.
The theme this year is, “The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers”.
Promoted by EI, UNESCO, the International Labour Organisation and UNICEF, the key aim for World Teacher’s Day 2022 is to, “call on governments to invest in teachers, involve teachers, trust and respect teachers,” David Edwards, General Secretary of Education International said.
“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.”
This year, World Teachers’ Day reflects the strain on education systems globally as result of the Covid-19 pandemic. At its height, 1.6 billion students were out of school, millions are still not in their classrooms, and others are struggling with trauma and loss.
Mr Edwards warned:
“As the economic crisis, the climate emergency, and wars intensify the effects of the pandemic, educators have become the lifeline of every school system in the world. This critical lifeline is now at risk.”
The Global Report on the Status of Teachers 2021, published by EI shows an overworked, underpaid and undervalued teaching profession.
The report says: “All countries must fulfil their commitments to the international education financing targets laid out in the Education 2030 Framework for Action,” adopted by 184 UNESCO Member States in 2015 in Paris.
The framework calls for increased public spending on education adhering to international and regional benchmarks of allocating at least 4 – 6% of Gross Domestic Product and/or at least 15 – 20% of total public expenditure to education.
EI is relaying four core messages to Governments this World Teachers’ Day: invest in teachers, involve teachers, trust teachers and respect teachers.
In celebration of the education sector on World Teachers’ Day INTO President John Driscoll thanked teachers in Ireland for their tireless efforts.
“On World Teachers’ Day I want to let all our members North and South know how proud I am of the contribution being made to the education system and of the transformational work done by Irish teachers in schools every day. While we must always strive for even better as a union, today is a day to celebrate the outstanding work of our members. Maith sibh go léir.”
Supporters of World Teachers’ Day are being asked to tag EI with messages of support and sharing online. Their social media handles can be seen below:
Twitter: @eduint
Facebook: @EducationInternational
Instagram: @eduint