The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) joins the rest of the world in celebrating and observing World Teachers’ Day today, Thursday October 5, 2017.
World Teachers’ Day was created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994 to celebrate all educators in the world. It is a recognition of the vital role that teachers play in the lives of children, the future citizens and leaders of the world.
The right to a proper education is a basic human right. Teaching is not an ordinary vocation, it is a noble mission of preparing the future citizens and leaders of the world. This year’s theme, “Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers”, attests to the vital and instrumental role of teachers and the importance of respecting and honoring teachers. Creating a free and safe teaching environment, with the needed resources, is the key to a complete and rich educational experience for the teachers and the students.
Unfortunately, today, millions of children are being deprived of the right to a proper education due to wars, conflicts, natural disasters and all kinds of man-made crises. For a proper education, it is imperative that teachers are free to teach and are empowered to teach by being provided the needed training and resources. Shortchanging education is a society being penny wise but pound foolish.
Quality education and quality teaching is a basic right to every student at all levels, especially the K 1-12 level. This right to quality education can’t be achieved without empowering and advancing the skills of all teachers and providing them with the needed resources and tools.
On this day AHRC extends its best wishes to all the teachers in the world and urges policy makers at the local, national and international level to recognize the importance of teachers.
“Next to mothers, teachers are the most important in influencing the development of children all over the world,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “Teachers are our indispensable and most valuable partners in raising a generation that believes in human rights and makes human rights a lived reality for everyone,” concluded Hamad.