"Take a stand for teachers!" is the 2012 motto for World Teachers' Day. Celebrations are being organized around the world. UNESCO calls on everyone to consider undertaking a special celebration for World Teachers' Day.

"Teachers… ultimately determine our collective ability to innovate, to invent, to find solutions for tomorrow. Nothing will ever replace a good teacher. Nothing is more important than supporting them.” (Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General).

World Teachers’ Day is held annually on 5 October to celebrate the essential role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels. It also commemorates the anniversary of the 1966 signature of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers.

Enhancing the status of teachers

This year’s WTD coincides with the 11th session of the Joint ILO/UNESCO Committee of Experts on the Application of the Recommendations concerning Teaching Personnel (CEART). This will be held in Geneva from 8-12 October.

Two main Recommendations define international standards for the teaching profession: the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers (1966) and the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel (1997).

Governments worldwide claim to support the values and principles in the Recommendations. However, many do not actually demonstrate respect for the rights enshrined in them, nor do they implement policies that comply with them.

So, it is critically important that the CEART monitors the application of the Recommendations, ruling on violations of teachers’ rights.

In Geneva, the Joint Committee will examine reports on the application of the Recommendations and communicate its findings to relevant authorities so that they may take appropriate action.

EI’s commitment

EI will use the WTD, the CEART session and other opportunities to highlight the state of the teaching profession and education worldwide and call for urgent corrective and proactive action.

“Teachers play a critical role towards the achievement of the Education for All goals by 2015, nurturing future generations and therefore ensuring the sustainable development of societies,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen. 

“Highly trained, professionally qualified and motivated teachers, working in well-resourced and supportive environments can provide quality education to young people and adults.”