Investing in teachers means investing in the future - UNESCO

Ghana would observe World Teachers' Day on October 5, on the theme; “Invest in the future, Invest in teachers”.

This year’s event marks the 20th anniversary of World Teachers’ Day, which also commemorates the adoption of the International Labour Organization/United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ILO/UNESCO) recommendation concerning the status of teachers in 1966.

A joint message issued by the ILO/UNESCO, United Nations International Children’s Fund, United Nations Development Programme, and Education International, copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, said an education system was only as good as its teachers.

It said: “Teachers are essential to universal and quality education for all: they are central to shaping the minds and attitudes of the coming generations to deal with new global challenges and opportunities.

“Innovative, inclusive and results-focused teaching is crucial for 2015 and beyond; if we are to provide the best possible opportunities for millions of children, youth and adults worldwide”.

The statement said in many countries, the quality of education was undermined by a deficit of teachers.

According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, an extra 1.4 million teachers were needed in classrooms across the world to achieve universal primary education by 2015, and 3.4 million additional teachers would be needed by 2030.

“Added to the challenge of numbers is the issue of quality. All too often, teachers work without resources or proper training,” he said.

The statement said the stakes were high, “we face today a global learning crisis, with 250 million children not learning the basics, over half of whom have spent four years in school”.

It said equipping teachers to succeed was, therefore, a priority; this means rigorous training, better conditions for employment, quality-based teacher recruitment, thoughtful deployment and attracting new teachers and talents, especially young people and women from under-represented communities.

“Reflecting on the lead-up to, and looking beyond, 2015, the Global Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post-2015 Development Agenda aptly sums up the essentials for supporting teachers’ effectiveness as decent conditions of employment, including appropriate contracts and salaries, and prospects for career progression and promotion.

“The rest are good conditions in the work environment based on creating school contexts that are conducive to teaching and high-quality pre- and in-service training for teachers, based on respect for human rights and the principles of inclusive education; and effective management, including teacher recruitment and deployment.

“Moreover, quality teaching depends on teachers enjoying basic rights, such as protection from violence, academic freedom and the freedom to join independent unions,” it said.

The statement said protecting teachers' rights also helped them to promote the safety and security of the girls and boys in their charge; "we must insist that schools remain a protective space for children and teachers."

“Children and young people are at the heart of society. A good education enables them, as global citizens, to respond to the challenges of a complex world, and contribute to building peaceful and sustainable communities.

“The teachers of today and tomorrow need the skills, knowledge and support that will enable them to meet the diverse learning needs of every girl and boy. We must remember that teachers are an investment for the future.”

The statement said international community and governments must stand united to support teachers and quality education worldwide and especially in those countries where the highest number of out-of-school children existed.