World Teachers' Day 2020: October 5 is celebrated every year as World Teachers Day
World Teachers' Day 2020: October 5 is celebrated every year as World Teachers' Day. This Year World Teachers' Day assumes huge significance amid the Covid-19 pandemic. World Teachers' Day is a great opportunity to say a big 'thank you' to all the teachers of the world who have gone out of their way to make sure no one is left behind. "In this crisis, teachers have shown, as they have done so often, great leadership and innovation in ensuring that 'Learning Never Stops', that no learner is left behind. Around the world, they have worked individually and collectively to find solutions and create new learning environments for their students to allow education to continue. Their role advising on school reopening plans and supporting students with the return to school is just as important": the UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.), ILO (International Labour Organisation) and Education International said in a joint statement on World Teachers' Day 2020. The UN chief, Antonia Guterres took to Twitter and wished teachers across the world.
World Teachers' Day 2020: Theme and significance:
This year amid the COVID-19 crisis, the theme of World Teachers' Day is - "Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future". The pandemic has added to the challenges of the teachers world wide and the future of millions of children are at stake. Teachers are at the center of it making sure that no child is left.
"On World Teachers' Day, we thank all of the instructors who are leading the way in education and supporting their students while the world faces the COVID'19 crisis," tweeted the UN Women.
World Teachers' Day 2020: Challenges amid Covid pandemic:
According to a UNESCO report, "As of 25 March, 165 countries have closed all their schools because of the COVID-19 virus, affecting nearly 1.5 billion students and 63 million primary and secondary school teachers. This number is predicted to rise." In the last nearly two months, online classes have started in most countries but millions of underprivileged children who have no access to the Internet have been left out of the classroom.
World Teachers' Day 2020: Response to the COVID-19 outbreak
The UN body has constituted an International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, to safeguard livelihoods of contract teachers, substitute teachers and support personnel whose employment may be at risk. The Task Force involves over 90 governments and around 50 international and regional organisations including UN organisations, civil society and teachers' foundations. The Task Force urges governments to:
- "Preserve employment and wages"
- "Prioritise teachers' and learners' health, safety and well-being"
- "Include teachers in developing COVID-19 education responses"
- "Provide adequate professional support and training"
- "Put equity at the heart of education responses"
World Teachers' Day 2020: Greetings on social media
As with every phase of relaxation in lockdown and schools reopen, teachers will have to play an increasingly significant role. It will be a Herculean task filling the learning gaps across the country.
Happy World Teachers' Day 2020!