Celebrating World Teachers Day 2023

World Teachers' Day is commemorated annually on October 5th.

”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 conditions and status. In 2023, World Teachers' Day aims to put the importance of a dignified and valued teaching profession at the top of the global agenda. Through various activities, it will advocate for teachers' crucial role, analyse their challenges, and showcase inspiring practices to attract, retain and motivate teachers and educators. It will also thoroughly examine the ways in which education systems, societies, communities, and families recognise, appreciate, and actively support teachers,” - UNESCO.

Teachers deserve to be recognised for the important role they play in building societies. Through our several teacher development projects, from research to developing teaching standards and materials, to supporting teacher training activities, JET is committed to contributing to the building of a well-trained, professional teaching force at all levels of the education system. 

JET work in teacher development includes: 

• The Initial Teacher Education Research Project (ITERP) JET initiated this project partly in response to concerns about the poor quality of schooling outcomes in South Africa and consideration of research that has shown teacher quality to be a key determinant in learning outcomes.  ITERP examined the mathematics and language curricula offered to student teachers at 5 universities. The alarming findings were that some prospective teachers were being taught little to none of the subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge necessary to teach English and Mathematics. 
• The PrimTEd Project JET has assisted in managing and contributing to the Primary Teacher Education (PrimTEd) project of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).  PrimTed forms a part of a suite of projects in the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme (TLDCIP) that covers areas of Primary teacher education, TVET and Community College lecturer education, Inclusive education and Early Childhood care and education. The programme is supported by the European Union.
• An Implementation Evaluation of the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme for student teachers for the Departments of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation and of Basic Education.
• The development of professional teaching standards with the South African Council for Educators.
• Research on secondary level teacher education in Sub Saharan Africa for the Varkey Foundation. Research on continuing professional development for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) lecturers.
• Pan-Commonwealth Standards Framework for Teachers and School Leaders Validation Report prepared by JET Education Services.
• The development of resources on vision and visual perception for early childhood development (ECD) practitioners.
• Using learners' responses to inform the teaching of mathematics: Resource materials based on the Annual National Assessments. Assisting the South African Democratic Teachers Union to establish the Curtis Nkondo Professional Development Institute and acting as the institute's managing agent.
• eMpela: With Conda Technologies and with initial funding from the MRP Foundation, we have been working on the development of this blended learning teacher development programme which is accessible to teachers in rural areas.   
• JET Bulletin: Focus: Teacher professionalisation. How can teachers become more professional?
• Teacher Internship Collaboration South Africa (TICZA) emerged in 2020 as an innovative vehicle that brings together government, academia, the private sector and implementers in order to drive innovation and continuous improvement in the delivery of teacher internship programmes. The collaborative project, which is being managed by JET, aims to demonstrate teacher internships as an alternative pathway of Initial Teacher Education. 

Below is the list of international initiatives and resources envisaged for the 2023 edition of World Teacher 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 morning, Venue: Room TBC, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris-France
   All over the world, we find a wide variety of prizes aimed at rewarding outstanding practices in the teaching profession, ranging from schools to adult and higher education, and covering different fields of study. There are international, regional and national prizes, such as the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development, the Global Teacher Prize, the African Union Continental Teacher Prize, the European Innovative Teaching Award, and many National Teacher Prizes. 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 attractiveness of the profession.See more
2. 2023 World Teacher Day Opening Ceremony
   5 October afternoon, Venue: Room TBC UNESCO Headquarters, Paris-France
   After opening remarks of the co-conveners of World Teachers Day, the event will present critical data on the attractiveness of the teaching profession, highlighting teacher voices on what they find attractive and challenging in the profession. An open conversation will be organized with the co-conveners, decision-makers, and experts from the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, who will present what they see as the priority actions needed to make the profession more attractive in the years ahead.
3. Teaching in hardship: bringing teachers to every learner
   6 October morning, Venue: online event
   A 2-hour roundtable convened by the Global Education Coalition (GEC) with the support of UNHCR, the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (TBC), and the TTF will explore the unique challenges of maintaining the attractiveness of the profession in emergency contexts. The session will include a short introduction of the current project being implemented by GEC in Ukraine, and programmes in crisis and emergency contexts to ensure that teachers in hardship situations can continue to teach through a suite of resources and approaches focused on digital, pedagogical, and socio-emotional skills. 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.
4. Global pathways to an attractive teaching profession 6 October afternoon, Venue: online event
   A 2-hour workshop co-convened by the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (TTF) and Education International (TBC) will explore national and regional policy responses and programmes to improve the attractiveness of the teaching profession in response to the global shortage on teachers. There will be a plenary session with presentations by TTF members on initiatives and evidence on improving the attraction and retention of qualified and motivated teachers, followed by regional breakout sessions for participants (policy makers, teacher unions, TTF members, teachers) to explore localised challenges and responses in more depth.