World Teachers’ Day 2024 observed with the theme "Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education"

 

In 2024, the World Teachers’ Day was held on 5 October 'to celebrate all teachers around the globe' and highlight the 'rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.' The World Teachers’ Day has been celebrated since 1994 with a specific theme. This year, the theme of the observance, co-convened in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF and Education International (EI), is "Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education."

"It is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education but also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation, and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally," stated UNESCO adding that 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.'

.  On the occasion of the World Teachers' Day, the in their Joint Message, 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 stated, "By empowering teachers to fulfill their roles as transformative intellectuals and community leaders, we can build resilient and equitable education systems that serve the public good and uplift the communities in which they work. Together, we can create a new social contract for education that truly values and empowers the voices of those who are essential to its success."

Some of the key points made on the occasion go as follows

~Teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the future by nurturing students and driving educational progress. However, to fully harness their potential, it's crucial that their voices are heard and valued in the decision-making processes that affect their profession. 

~It is needed to address the systemic challenges teachers face and to establish a more inclusive dialogue about their role in education, as well as to acknowledge and benefit from the expert knowledge and input that they bring to education. 

~We need to emphasize the importance of integrating teachers' perspectives into educational policies and fostering a supportive environment for their professional development. 

 The observance is also marked by presentation of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development to celebrate the outstanding contributions to teacher development.