World Teachers’ Day, also known as International Teachers Day is observed annually on October 5 to celebrate the teaching profession around the world and also to provide an opportunity to consider issues related to teachers and teaching. The day commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers in a conference summoned by UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in Paris, France.
- The day is celebrated by UNESCO along with the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF), the International Labour Organization(ILO) and Education International.
- Since October 5, 1994 the day has been celebrated.
Theme of 2020– “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future”.
World Teachers’ Day 2020
i.All the celebrations in this year(2020) will be held online in view of the current pandemic situation.
ii.On October 5, 2020 The World Teachers’ Day Opening Ceremony and Award Ceremony of the 6th Edition of the UNESCO-Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Prize for Outstanding Practice and Performance in Enhancing the Effectiveness of Teachers will be held.
iii.The Closing Ceremony will be held on October 12, 2020.
iv.Throughout the week there will be a series of national, regional and global events.
About UNESCO-Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Prize
i.The prize created in 2008 is awarded every 2 years. The prize is supported by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Finance.
ii.The prize amount USD 300,000 is equally divided between three winners, whose projects aim to improve the performance and effectiveness of teachers around the world.
Key Info
i.ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers is the standard-setting instrument that addresses the status and situations of teachers globally.
ii.The Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel was adopted in 1997 to complement the 1966 recommendation at the UNESCO General Conference
Teachers’ Day in India
In India the Teachers’ Day is celebrated annually on September 5 to mark the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, an educationist and 1st Vice President of India and the Second President of India
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO):
Headquarters– Paris, France
Director-General – Audrey Azoulay
About International Labour Organization(ILO):
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Director-General- Guy Ryder
Member States– 187 including India
