October 5 Is International Teachers’ Day

October 5 Is International Teachers’ Day: If You Can Read This, Thank a Teacher! By Joe Kingsley Eyiah, OCT, Brookview Middle School, Toronto

“The teacher is as important as the doctor, the lawyer, the engineer, the politician, the farmer and other professionals”-Land of Wisdom & Common Sense

October 5th is World Teachers' Day. Teachers in the member states of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization celebrate this day the world over. The day was established by UNESCO in 1993, it is an opportunity for all of us to think about the difference that teachers have made in our lives.

I remember the car sticker in Ghana during the 1980s which read: IF YOU CAN READ THIS, THANK A TEACHER. How true! It is very true that we all remember moments when an inspiring teacher opened our eyes to something wonderful. Moments like those are happening every day in our schools. As a lifelong teacher, I can testify to this.

From time immemorial, teaching has been a noble profession. From the days of Socrates to the time of Paul of the Bible students/graduates had spoken highly of their teachers (also called masters in some instances). The Holy Bible mentions teaching as one of the three top spiritual gifts from God that we must desire most for the growth of His church (read 1 Corth. 12:28). Interesting! Teachers make the medical doctors, the lawyers, the accountants, the engineers, the agriculturalists, the musicians, the pastors, the politicians, the nurses, the computer analysts and many other workers who contribute effectively to the building of a nation anywhere.

Ghana like many other countries around the world has, over the years, sought to improve its education system by introducing reforms and making projections based on the education needs of the country. However, the basic education in the system is yet to experience the impetus that will fortify it as a strong foundation for the child’s educational journey.

Teachers must be the pivot for ensuring successful learning process sought after in any education reform. They are expected to bring equality learning experiences to the students they (teachers) teach. Unfortunately, teachers in Ghana are often thought of less when education reforms are put in place. Unlike, teachers in Canada who have formidable unions to fight for their rights and seek better deals with their governments as I have come to know, teachers in Ghana have ‘divided fronts’ (GNAT, NAGRAT and now Coalition of Concerned Teachers) which fight more among themselves than against ‘uncaring’ government educational policies which down play teachers interest and at the same time up load their responsibilities. On the other hand teachers’ federations such as ETFO, ETT etc in Ontario-Canada remain formidable in mobilizing teachers for common and good causes in the interest of teachers in particular and education in the province as a whole! For example these associations are in the forefront educating and admonishing teachers and their communities to vote candidates/political parties whose agenda promote public education in the forthcoming October 6 provincial elections in Ontario.

Education has been the major facilitator and catalyst in the astonishing changes and transformation sweeping through the world today. The role of formal (school) education in the liberation of the individual mind as well as economic dependence and in national development is therefore quite obvious. Thus, education pays off not only in literacy but also in income!

It is therefore quite obvious that education is very imperative to the sound development of individuals and nations. Every country ought to provide its people with qualitative and “not only quantitative” education! And every parent ought to ensure that their child gets the best of formal education as much as possible. Undoubtedly, education is the biggest enterprise in any civilized society. Teachers play an important role in this enterprise. Their training, distribution and maintenance as professionals anywhere must be given serious attention. Together we must fight to give our children everywhere the education they need. Knowledge is Power, but ignorance is a disease. And teachers who are the facilitators of learning, which is the process of acquiring knowledge at school deserve better!

On this World Teachers’ Day I salute teachers everywhere in the world, especially the very hard working teachers of Ghana as well as Canada, and add my voice to the affirmation that, YES, TEACHERS MATTER, VOTE EDUCATION!.