The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s World Teachers’ Day (WTD) is annually observed across the globe on October 5 to celebrate and honour teachers for their contributions to their students.
The theme of World Teachers’ Day 2022 is “The Transformation of Education begins with Teachers”.
- The UNESCO presented this theme to respect the Teacher’s determined and diligent efforts in the crucial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Background:
i. The International Labor Organisation (ILO) and UNESCO signed a recommendation concerning the ‘Status of Teachers’ and adopted it on 5th October 1966 at a special intergovernmental conference convened by UNESCO in Paris, France.
ii. UNESCO declared 5th October as World Teachers’ Day in 1994 on celebrating the great step made for teachers in 1966. The 1st World Teachers’ Day was observed on 5th October 1994.
Note: October 5 also celebrates the adoption of the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel by the UNESCO General Conference in 1997.
Key points:
i. WTD 2022 marks the 25-year anniversary of the 1997 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel, which complements the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
Teachers’ Day in India:
India annually observes Teachers’ Day on September 5 since 1962 to honour the 2nd President of the country Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary falls on the same day.
World Teachers’ Day 2022 – Webinar:
i. On 5th October 2022, to celebrate World Teachers’ Day the webinar by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) has been conducted with the theme ‘the Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers’ in Bangkok, Thailand.
- The Webinar is about seeking to amplify the call for concrete and timely actions for the advancement of teachers and the teaching profession.
Events 2022:
i. The event of the day will be advocated between 5 and 7 October to support teachers everywhere and recognize their critical role in shaping the future of education.
ii. On 5th October 2022, UNESCO includes the award ceremony of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day.
About the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):
Director-General- Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters- Paris, France.
Establishment- 1945
About the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO):
Director- Dr Ethel Agnes P Valenzuela
Headquarters- Bangkok, Thailand
Establishment- 1965
