World Teachers' Day - Statement from Western Cape MEC
Posted by Ingrid Thomson | 5 Oct, 2007Media Release
Friday 05 October 2007
World Teachers' Day – Message from Western Cape Education MEC Cameron
Dugmore
Today, on World Teachers’ Day, all over the world in over 100
countries, we who represent Governments are reminded of the important
role of teachers within society. Thanks in part to the efforts of
Education International (EI) and its 348 member organisations, and all
our local teacher unions and education activists, there is widespread
global recognition of the profession.
Today we celebrate teachers and the central role they play in efforts
to achieve quality education for all children. We celebrate across all
continents, in towns and in villages, and we thank our teachers for
their continued commitment to the profession, often in difficult
circumstances.
This year was without a doubt a difficult year for Education in the
country and in the Western Cape. The prolonged industrial action has
impacted heavily on all of our lives. The main themes that refrained
from across our teaching corps, were a decent working environment and a
Living Wage.
Our teachers indicated that they needed more than verbal recognition of
their dedication and of the demands that they face. They united to
signal to the world that they needed tangible recognition of their
unremitting efforts to hold the social fabric together. They indicated
strongly that they needed to be acknowledged for their role as
"educators" in the fullest sense of the word.
The industrial action has reminded us – the authorities – that we
must continue to acknowledge the role of teachers in our society, and
reaffirm the need to work together to better understand the issues.
On this World Teachers Day, I once again want to salute all of you who
are diligently arriving on time for school, properly preparing for
classroom lessons, conducting examinations and tests with integrity, and
give hope to the future. I salute our teachers…
FOR FULL TEXT OF MEC DUGMORE's STATEMENT, VISIT
www.capegateway.gov.za/education.
FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON WORLD TEACHERS DAY VISIT
http://www.ei-ie.org/worldteachersday/en/index.php