World Teachers' Day 2024, October 5th.

FORUM: “Valuing teacher voices: Towards a new social contract for education.” World Teachers’ Day 2024. Across the globe, in various high- and low-income countries alike, the value conferred on the teaching profession is commonly perceived to be low and even in decline. UNESCO and the International Teacher Task Force’s recently published Global Report on Teachers (2024) rang the alarm on a global shortage of teachers and massive growth in teacher attrition rates. These findings are somewhat unsurprising given the breath and multidimensionality of the challenges facing the profession. Among other factors, poor working conditions, uncompetitive remuneration, and heavy workloads deter teachers from entering or staying in the profession. Beyond the material conditions of teaching, there are also symbolic factors adding to the plight of teachers such as a lack of social recognition, low professional autonomy, and little influence in decision-making. Ignoring the voice of teachers has negative effects on both teacher status and motivation, and on the effectiveness of teacher programmes and overall education policy. Recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, that disrupted education and caused schools to close confirmed that, if given the space and autonomy necessary, teachers can actually make educational decisions and even develop innovations that ensure learning and student wellbeing. Towards a new social contract for education Teachers carry out research, adapt pedagogies, prioritize curricular content, assess progress and contextualize, personalize education in the classroom, and engage in decision-making in their classrooms. Yet, despite the central role of teachers and the potential of their participation in the improvement of education, few countries engage in genuine teacher consultations and social dialogue processes with social partners in significant ways. The ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers (1966) states that there should be close cooperation between governments, teacher organizations, cultural, learning and research institutions to define education policy and its precise objectives. For instance, evidence shows that high unionization levels are associated with positive outcomes across multiple indicators of economic, personal, and democratic well-being, as well as for teacher professionalization and policy advocacy. For this to happen, mechanisms for dialogue and teacher participation are needed. Allowing teachers' voices to be heard requires, among other things, developing a culture of trust and collaboration and fostering autonomy and academic freedom, a culture where teachers are respected and valued both inside and outside the classroom. As stated in the Report of the International Commission on the Futures of Education, for the transformation of education teachers must be at the centre, and their profession revalued and reimagined as a collaborative endeavour, sparking new knowledge to bring about educational and social transformation. This requires a new social contract with teachers, whereby national governments, trade unions, development partners, civil society and teachers themselves invest in the strengthening of social dialogue structures and processes to achieve this end successfully. Social dialogue is defined as all types of negotiation, consultation or simply exchange of information between, or among, representatives of governments, employers and workers, on issues of common interest relating to economic and social policy. One of the main objectives of social dialogue is to give workers a voice in decisions affecting them, thus promoting consensus building and democratic involvement at work. In education, this implies promoting collaboration and respecting the formation of teacher organizations to protect teachers’ interests as a fundamental right, respecting their professional freedom, and encouraging the active participation of individual teachers in deciding a range of professional issues including curricula, pedagogy, student assessment and organization of education within schools. There are several approaches to build capacity in social dialogue such as the development of cooperation and collaboration frameworks; formalized processes, principles, and mechanisms designed to facilitate continuous and constructive interactions among key stakeholders in education, with the goal of addressing and resolving issues that have direct impact on the work of teachers, like remuneration and working conditions, but also in areas where their first-hand knowledge of educational communities, their dynamics, problems, needs and aspirations may illuminate education programmes, national policies and global agendas. The UN High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession (2024) has actually recommended social dialogue as a means to address recent transformations in education, including the use of technologies, the regulation of private providers, the promotion of gender equality, greening education or teaching for entry into the world of work. Strengthening social dialogue processes and structures within education systems and among teachers’ organizations positively contributes to building teachers’ sense of ownership of educational policies, which is key for their implementation. This in turn is important for the appreciation and overall status of a profession which should feel respected and entrusted with the important task of shaping present and future generations. Beyond policy, recognizing teachers’ voices and their autonomy as independent and innovative professionals is key to enhance their capabilities to drive significant educational change through collaborative and critical exploration of teaching, learning, and schooling. Teachers as researchers engage in professional development and stay updated with current research trends, applying evidence-based teaching practices. Teachers as community developers engage with parents, students and stakeholders in educational decision-making processes, enhancing the overall relevance and quality of education. Furthermore, teachers adopting a reflective voice that critically examines social, cultural, and political issues affecting their educational contexts may become advocates for equity and social justice. They challenge systemic inequalities and empower themselves and students to become agents of change, across various platforms and through diverse communication channels. Given the perceived decline in the status of the profession, a new social contract in education that advances a collaborative approach among teachers, founded on social dialogue and the values it espouses, will boost teachers' professional status thus making the profession more attractive and sustainable. In other words, a new social contract Programme in education is key towards the aspirations of the SDGs. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #InvestInTeachers, #WorldTeachersDay, #5October.

 

EVENTS: On October 4th, at UNESCO Headquarters conference room I. from 09:30 to 07:30 pm (Paris time, GMT+2) will be held the World Teachers' Day 2024 and UNESCO-Hamdan Award Ceremony. This year's celebrations will emphasize the pivotal role that teachers play in shaping the future of education and the urgent need to incorporate their perspectives into educational policy and decision-making processes. The day will begin with an opening ceremony led by UNESCO’s Director-General, featuring messages from the co-convening agencies: the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF and Education International. This will set the stage for a series of discussions and activities centered around enhancing the role of teachers and recognizing their contributions to education. The event will include the awarding ceremony of the Eighth edition of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development and a panel discussion where teachers will share their insights and experiences. The discussions will emphasize the importance of teachers' participation in decision-making processes and the need to create a dignified and respected teaching profession. Concluding the day’s celebrations, UNESCO will host the avant-première of the film Apprendre, previously shown at the Cannes Film Festival. Interpretation will be available in French, English, Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese. Register to participate! and watch the livestream!

Agenda Programme - World Teachers' Day 2024, October 4th.
Celebrations’ kick-off, UNESCO HQ, Foyer Room I.
8:45 – 9:15 Registration, coffee and networking in the Foyer of Room I
Official Opening Ceremony, UNESCO HQ, Room I
9:30 – 10:00 Welcoming remarks
• Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO
• Oliver Liang, Head, Public and Private Services Unit, ILO
• Pia Rebello Britto, Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development, UNICEF (video)
• Mugwena Maluleke, President, Education International
10:00 – 10:20 Framing of the importance of teacher voices by Carlos Vargas, Chief of the Section for Teacher Development, UNESCO
Keynote address: Valuing Teacher Voices: A new social contract for education, by Prof. Lis
Lange, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and Chair of the Jury of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize on Teacher Development.
10:20 – 11:10 Teachers have their say Teachers have their say, on stage in the public and around the world, including the screening
of the Teacher Task Force video from the #TeachersMissing global advocacy campaign.
11:10-11:20 Conclusion
Closing remarks by Borhene Chakroun, Director, Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, Education Sector, UNESCO.
Awarding Ceremony of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development, Room I
11:20 – 12:30 Welcoming remarks
• Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO
• His Highness Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the
Hamdan Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences
Awarding ceremony
• Presentation of the Finalists by the Prize Jury members
• Awarding of the three Laureates of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher
Development and recognition of the International Jury
Closing remarks and afternoon logistics
Lunch, Restaurant 7th floor
12:45-14:15 High-level lunch (attendance by invitation only)
Q&A Session with the UNESCO – Hamdan Prize finalists, Room IV
15:00 – 16:15 A Q&A session with the ten UNESCO–Hamdan Prize finalists sharing insights on their projects.
Movie screening, Room I
16:30 – 19:00 Preview screening of Apprendre
• Welcome by Anna Ruszkiewicz, Project Officer, Section for Teacher Development,
UNESCO, and presentation by the director Claire Simon and cast
• Movie screening in French with English subtitles
• Q&A session with the director.

Photo exhibition: To mark the World Teachers’ Day 2024, UNESCO presents an exhibition that celebrates educators from all corners of our planet, recognizing their dedication, passion, and commitment to shaping the future. Delving into a range of topics — from digital transformation and inclusion to lifelong learning and sustainable development — the exhibition offers insights into how UNESCO and its partners champion educators globally. Explore the exhibition!

STATEMENTS: Joint Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General, International Labour Organization, Ms Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF, Mr David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International for World Teachers’ Day, 5 October 2024.

PUBLICATIONS: Read the Teaching requirement policies globally and their implications for monitoring SDG 4 and the Global Report on Teachers 2024: Addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession. Launched at the 14th Policy Dialogue Forum in Johannesburg on 26 February 2024, the Global Report on Teachers serves as a critical resource for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders dedicated to achieving SDG 4 of inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all. Rooted in a growing solidarity with teachers at the global level, aligned with the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel on the Teaching Profession and the outcomes of the Transforming Education Summit, the Report seeks to translate these commitments into tangible action by offering actionable recommendations to address global teacher shortages. As we approach the 2030 Agenda deadline, the pivotal role of teachers in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 aiming to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all has become increasingly apparent. However, a global shortage of teachers is hindering access to education, with a projected deficit of 44 million teachers to achieve primary and secondary universal education by 2030. The result is overcrowded classrooms, diminished teaching quality, and limited learning opportunities, especially in underserved communities. Read the full report!

LIVESTREAM: Celebration of World Teachers' Day 2024.

World Teachers’ Day 2023; October 5th.

 

FORUM: “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage.” World Teachers’ Day 2023. Being a teacher provides the unique opportunity to make a transformative and lasting impact on the lives of others, contributing to shaping sustainable futures and offering personal fulfilment. However, the world faces an unprecedented global teacher shortage exacerbated by a decline in their working conditions and status. With the theme "The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage", the 2023 celebrations will aim to put the importance of stopping the decline in the number of teachers and then starting to increase that number at the top of the global agenda. Through various activities, they will advocate for a dignified and valued teaching profession, analyse their challenges, and showcase inspiring practices to attract, retain and motivate teachers and educators. It will also examine the ways in which education systems, societies, communities, and families recognise, appreciate, and actively support teachers. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #InvestInTeachers, #WorldTeachersDay, #5October.

EVENTS: The organizers and participants are invited to subscribe and participate to the World Teachers Day 2023 on October 5th and October 6th, at UNESCO Headquaters from 11:00 to 17:00 (Paris time, GMT+2). Celebrations will focus on the meaningfulness of being a teacher and the urgency of attracting and retaining qualified teachers into the profession. It will insist on the dual imperative of attracting youth to teaching programmes and the imperatives to make the profession attractive for those in service in order to curb teacher attrition. From a lifelong learning perspective, the commemorations will cover the teaching profession at different level of education, learning spaces and modalities. The Agenda programme of the Online events are "Teacher education in emergencies to support attraction and well-being" and "Global pathways to an attractive teaching profession"; The 2023 World Teachers' Day is framed within the wider context of a new social contract and the transformation of education. It will be informed by the work of the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession and the follow-up to the Transforming Education Summit. It will highlight recommendations coming out of both initiatives and will greatly benefit from the comprehensive analysis and valuable data gathered in preparation of the Global Report on Teachers to be published by UNESCO and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (TTF) at the end of 2023. UNESCO, ILO, UNICEF and Education International, the four co-convening organizations of World Teachers’ Day, will encourage decision-makers, (notably Ministers of Education), development cooperation and aid agencies, and representatives of civil society, the teaching profession, youth and the private sector, to take action to make the teaching profession more attractive through local, national and regional policies and programmes. Advocacy events (e.g., meetings, exhibitions, campaigns, awards) will be organized to highlight the pathways that can be followed to ensure the teachers we need for the education that we want. Below is the list of international initiatives and resources envisaged for the 2023 edition of World Teachers’ Day on the theme of imperatives to make the profession more attractive: Four events open to the public at UNESCO HQ and online

1. Recognition and appreciation: the role of teacher prizes in enhancing the status of the profession - 5 October -11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Paris time), Room IX or II (TBC), UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France - This panel aims to discuss the role of teacher prizes as symbols of recognition of the work undertaken by educators, as an essential form of contribution to the improvement of their status within the community and, ultimately, as a lever to raising the appeal of the profession. Register here to participate online.
2. 2023 World Teachers’ Day Opening Ceremony - 5 October - 2.30 - 4:30 p.m. (Paris time), Room IX or II (TBC), UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France -After opening remarks of the co-conveners of World Teachers’ Day, the event will present critical data on the appeal of the teaching profession, highlighting teacher voices on what they find attractive and challenging in the profession. Register here to attend online.
3. Teacher education in emergencies to support attraction and well-being - 6 October - 12 - 2 p.m. (Paris time), online event - The roundtable will be followed by a discussion on the support teachers need to realize their commitment and their vocation in the most difficult contexts. Register here to participate online.
4. Global pathways to an attractive teaching profession - 6 October - 3 - 5 p.m. (Paris time), online event.The workshop will explore national and regional policy responses and programmes to improve the appeal of the teaching profession in response to the global shortage on teachers Register to participate!

WORLDWIDE OBSERVANCES: Get the list of World Teachers’ Day 2023 celebrations at UNESCO Regional Offices, Institutes and Member States.

STATEMENTS: Joint Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General, International Labour Organization, Ms Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF, Mr David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International for World Teachers’ Day, 5 October 2023.

"Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher” – Japanese Proverb.

If we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, in particular the goal of achieving equitable and quality education, we need relevant and innovative pedagogies that prepare the learners of today for the transformation needed by society in a rapidly changing world. Teachers are one of the pillars on which this transformation depends. Research has repeatedly found that teachers are the single most important school-level variable for improving student outcomes. The centrality of teachers to the future of education was reaffirmed at the United Nations Transforming Education Summit last year, culminating in the establishment of the High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession. This renewed focus on teachers is timely, as the world currently faces a severe global teacher shortage. Halfway to the Sustainable Development Goals, 44 million teachers still need to be recruited globally to meet universal primary and secondary education needs by 2030, with 15 million of those required in sub-Saharan Africa, according to newly released data from UNESCO and the Teacher Task Force. Rural, marginalized, and forcibly displaced communities often face the most chronic shortages of qualified teachers. The fundamental cause of this global shortage is the diminishing attractiveness of the teaching profession, which undermines the recruitment of new teachers and produces high levels of attrition amongst those in service, especially within the first three to five years of entering the workforce. Teachers can typically expect to be paid less than if they entered other professions requiring similar levels of qualification, whilst also finding themselves increasingly overburdened by additional responsibilities and administrative tasks. Due to these poor working conditions, teaching is often viewed negatively as a ‘profession of last resort’, and teachers are not given the recognition and status that they deserve. The report from the International Commission on the Futures of Education – Reimagining our Futures Together: A new social contract for education – recommends that the teaching profession be reimagined as a collaborative profession. To do so, it is essential to shift the way in which we perceive teachers: they should be valued as key agents in renewing the social contract for education. Teachers are lifelong learners, catalysts for change, creators and facilitators of knowledge, and mentors who engage students and support them in understanding the complex challenges and realities of our world today.

Today,  on  World  Teachers’  Day,  we  celebrate  teachers’  critical  role  and  the  great  importance of reversing the global teacher shortage. We call upon countries to ensure that teaching is transformed everywhere into a more attractive and valorised profession where  teachers  are  valued,  trusted,  and  adequately  supported  to  meet  the  needs  of  every learner. Bold actions must be taken, if we are to reverse the current decline and successfully increase teacher number.

Photo exhibition: On World Teachers’ Day, UNESCO presents an exhibition that celebrates educators from all corners of our planet, recognizing their dedication, passion, and commitment to shaping the future. Delving into a range of topics — from digital transformation and inclusion to lifelong learning and sustainable development — the exhibition offers insights into how UNESCO and its partners champion educators globally. Explore the exhibition!

World Teachers' Day 2022; October 5th.

 FORUM:“The transformation of education begins with teachers.” World Teachers' Day 2022.

STATEMENT: Joint Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General, International Labour Organization, Ms Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF, Mr David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International for World Teachers’ Day, 5 October 2022

EVENTS: The 2022 World Teachers' Day Celebrations will address the commitments and calls for action made at the Transforming Education Summit, in September 2022, and analyse the implications they have for teachers and teaching.

- 2022 Hamdan Prize Ceremony at UNESCO HQ.

 

The three-day celebration at UNESCO Headquarters will include the awarding ceremony of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development, and a series of events showcasing how guaranteeing teachers' decent working conditions, access to professional development opportunities and a recognized professional status is a first step towards more resilient education systems. UNESCO is working to leverage the vital role of these primary change-agents.

• A calendar of events and the communications materials will be published online and updated here regularly.Concept note and agenda
• Opening of 2022 celebrations of World Teachers Day: 5 October, 10:00-11:30 (Paris time, GMT+2)
• Full programme of 2022 World Teachers' Day UNESCO celebrations (5-7 October)
• Follow the event live

La transformación de la educación comienza con las y los docentes.

La transformation de l'éducation commence avec les enseignants.

Трансформация образования начинается с учителей.

 

World Teacher' Day 2013, October 5

On World Teachers' Day, October 5, the ILO salutes teachers and commits to supporting their key role in building the citizens and societies of the future, says Guy Ryder, the ILO's Director-General.

Joint Message on the occasion of the World Teachers’ Day 2013

A Call for Teachers!
5 October 2013

Irina Bokova, Director-General, UNESCO
Guy Ryder, Director-General, ILO
Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF
Helen Clark, Administrator, UNDP
Fred van LEEUWEN, General Secretary, Education International


Teachers hold the keys to a better future for all. They inspire, challenge and empower innovative and responsible global citizens. They get children into school, keep them there and help them learn. Every day, they help to build the inclusive knowledge societies we need for tomorrow and the century ahead. On this World Teachers’ Day, we join forces to thank teachers and to call for more, better trained and supported teachers. Nothing can replace a good teacher. Evidence shows that teachers, their professional knowledge and skills are the most important factor for quality education. This requires stronger training upfront and continual professional development and support, to enhance performance and learning outcomes. We know this and yet, far too often, teachers remain under-qualified and poorly paid, with low status, and excluded from education policy matters and decisions that concern and affect them. And there are far too few of them today. At the global level, some 5.24 million teachers need to be recruited in order to reach the goal of universal primary education by 2015 -- 1.58 million new recruits and 3.66 million to replace those leaving the profession. The challenge goes beyond numbers – more teachers must mean better quality learning, through appropriate training and support. This is essential for ensuring every learner’s right to quality education – especially, to reach the 57 million children of primary school age currently out of school. At current pace, we estimate that 49 percent of these children will never enter school, while 28 percent will start school late – 54 percent of them are girls. Equally worrying is the low level of learning. An estimated 250 million children are failing to learn to read and write by the time they reach the age for grade 4. Approximately half of these children are in school. The access and learning crisis must be urgently addressed.

Learning is not possible without professional, well trained, well supported, accountable and valued teachers. Teachers are the central solution to the learning crisis, and yet too many are poorly trained and poorly supported – often disconnected from the policy decisions that affect them. Teachers are central to the provision of safe and supportive learning environments, and yet too any of them are teaching in circumstances of extreme hardship, emergencies and even attacks. There are however, also bright parts to the picture. We have seen a range of efforts to improve teacher status -- through teacher professionalization and certification schemes, incentives for service in remote or disadvantaged communities, minimum wage laws, career development models, continued professional development, support to female teachers deployed in remote locations, peer-to-peer support and inter-generational mentoring, recognition awards and incentive for teacher progression, raising admission standards for teacher training programmes, public awareness campaigns, free training and recruitment bonuses. All of these practices ensure equality and quality and make a real difference to learning outcomes; they must be scaled up and taken forward. This is where effective international action is essential, in support of national efforts to bolster teachers and education institutions, and improve the education opportunities of all children. All of this work must ensure that teachers’ pay and conditions reflect a commitment to delivering high quality education by a qualified and motivated teaching work force. This is why teachers stand at the heart of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative to make sure every child goes to school, receives a quality education, and develops a new sense of global citizenship. This is our call for teachers today. Join us in thanking and supporting the teachers we have and in recruiting new women and men, to shape more effective education systems and prepare young people and adults for active and responsible participation in society. There is no stronger foundation for lasting peace and sustainable development than a quality education provided by well trained, valued, supported and motivated teachers. The education of future generations hangs in the balance unless we can rise to the challenge of putting the best possible teacher in every classroom.



RELATED INFORMATION :
Press Release: Education unionists Worldwide unite for quality public education

EVENT : "Better Quality Education for a Better World ", Friday, 4 october 2013, UNESCO HQs

 World Teachers' Day 2013 : Celebrations around the world.

Download the Posters (PDF)

AR | CH | EN | FR | RUS | SP

Additional resources:

•  Join the Forum :  October 5th is World Teacher's Day 
• UNESCO  eAtlas of Teachers 

• Read A Teacher for Every Child: Projecting Global Teacher needs from 2015 to 2030 (PDF) 

 

Global Shortage of Teachers 

 

Every Child Needs a Teacher

The supply of teachers is failing to keep pace with the demand for primary education. According to the latest UIS data, the world needs to create 1.6 million new teaching posts by 2015 in order to reach universal primary education, while replacing 5.2 million teachers leaving the profession.

The situation is most extreme in sub-Saharan Africa, where the school-aged population continues to rise. More than 900,000 new primary school teachers are required by 2015.

Explore the data to see where the demand is most acute. 

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