Zim unions celebrate teachers

Herald Reporter

Zimbabwe yesterday joined the world in commemorating World Teachers’ Day, with unions praising the work done by educators, and also called on the Government to continuously improve the teachers’ working conditions.

In its message to mark World Teachers Day yesterday, Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) acting secretary-general Mr Goodwill Taderera said with more children in school, teachers are contending with more work as some teachers that left the profession have not been replaced.

He said some teachers have classes of up to 60 learners, a development that calls for more teachers to be recruited to further improve the quality of education.

This year’s celebrations were held under the theme: “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage”.

World Teachers’ Day is commemorated annually on October 5 to celebrate all teachers around the globe.

It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organisation (ILO)/ United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, which sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.

The Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel was adopted in 1997 to complement the 1966 Recommendation by covering teaching personnel in higher education. World Teachers’ Day has been celebrated since 1994.

It is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education, but also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally.

World Teachers’ Day is co-convened in partnership with ILO, UNICEF, and Education International (EI).

In a statement, UNESCO noted that the world faces an unprecedented global teacher shortage exacerbated by a decline in conditions and status. – Additional reporting: Bulawayo Bureau.