Undoubtedly, and unquestionably, teachers are at the backbone of progress in any society. Quite often they work with little recognition and generally with meagre pay. It is expected that all society would band together to celebrate the men and women who stand at the head of classrooms day after day, to mould the young minds of tomorrow’s leaders.
Many successful adults can point to a teacher who inspired or helped them through life. The good ones are, as is often expressed, heroes.
Quite recently, the entire world joined to commemorate World Teachers’ Day on Wednesday, October 5. UNESCO proclaimed October 5 to be World Teachers’ Day in 1994, celebrating the great step made for teachers on October 5, 1966, when a special intergovernmental conference convened by UNESCO in Paris adopted the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, in cooperation with the ILO.
This recommendation set forth the rights and responsibilities of teachers as well as international standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, teaching and learning conditions. Since its adoption, the Recommendation has been considered an important set of guidelines to promote teachers’ status in the interest of quality education.
Sadly, on the heels of the world’s celebration, there were reports that the Education Ministry did not grant permission for schools in the various regions to plan for, or carry out any activities in commemoration of this day. Further, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) voiced its disappointment over this move and even questioned the value that the Education Ministry places on the nation’s teachers. To add to this, the GTU Head noted that no justifications were given for the decision.
It is important to remember that the delivery of quality education should be among the nation’s chief concerns, and that responsibility of delivery rests squarely on the shoulders of the nation’s teachers, those who dedicate their lives to it.
Why then should they not be properly honoured and celebrated? It is one thing to give lip service to the value of teachers, and quite another to step up and empower them. The rest of the world agrees that honouring teachers is important. Why then is Guyana different?
During the global celebrations, persons used the opportunity of the day to discuss, compare, learn, argue, share and improve on issues affecting the teaching profession. Why should the situation in Guyana be any different? There must be a valid reason why teachers across the nation were not afforded this opportunity.
How disheartening it must have been for those teachers to learn that, while there were funds allocated for celebratory activities, they were not given the necessary “permission” to proceed with what has become an annual celebration. Is this how the country shows its gratitude for years of dedication and service?
In May of this year, the Education Ministry, in collaboration with the School of the Nations, held a National Teachers’ Award Ceremony as part of the Jubilee Anniversary celebrations. During that event, Ministry officials, including the Education Minister, applauded the efforts of teachers countrywide, referring to them as “agents of nation building” and “foot soldiers”.
Ministry representatives said the ceremony was the Ministry’s way of “reaffirming the value of the efforts of thousands who every day, in classrooms in every corner of Guyana, make a difference in the lives of our youth, the communities and, by extension, this nation. “And yet mere months later, on the day designated for such grand celebrations, the teachers themselves were not allowed to bask in their accomplishments.
The value we place on education and the immeasurable contribution it makes to the community is woefully out of sync with how poorly we value and reward the teaching profession in Guyana.
