Teachers are valuable specialists according to the United Nations’ Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. This recommendation was accepted on 5 October 1966 and has given rise to the celebration of World Teachers’ Day annually on 5 October. Teachers are on the frontline of education recovery efforts given the continued impact of the pandemic on this important sector.

“This year we acknowledge the determination and passion with which the world’s 63 million educators have been doing their work since the onset of the pandemic,” says Dr. Jaco Deacon, acting CEO of the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS).

In South Africa, the official date for World Teachers’ Day is during the school holidays. While teachers are enjoying a well-deserved break on this day, FEDSAS is encouraging governing bodies and the school community to celebrate the day on the first Friday of the fourth term (15 October 2021).

 “It is also important to acknowledge the emotional impact that lockdown and emergency online education have on the well-being of teachers. Teachers are the carriers of dreams. Career days are popular days at schools and allow learners to show off their dreams for their future. What is normally a fun day at school is also a reminder of the responsibility resting on teachers to turn these dreams into reality. The manner in which they have been doing it amidst the disruption of the past two years is commendable.”

Deacon says teachers are the most important asset in the school system. “As the broader school community, it is our duty to see to it that teachers have everything they need to do their work as valuable specialists.”

FEDSAS is encouraging governing bodies, parents, learners, and other role-players to start planning for the celebration of World Teachers’ Day at their school. “Take a look at the FEDSAS video on social media and use the hashtags #thankyouteacher and #fedsas to acknowledge our teachers on social media,” says Deacon.

Links:

FEDSAS video on World Teachers’ Day:

https://www.facebook.com/FEDSAS/videos/3057724021152451

UN’s Recommendation regarding the Status of Teachers:

http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13084&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

UNESCO declaration:

https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldteachersday