May the voices of teachers echo around the globe

Statement on World Teachers’ Day from Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — We must enter into a new social contract for education – one based on equality, justice and universal human rights. At the heart of our global commitment to education for all, we must put teachers at the heart of everything we do. They are frontline heroes who work every day to educate children, nurture young talent and build a strong society. They are surrogate parents, mentors and those who help shape a child’s identity in war, refugee or climate change.

Am World Teachers Day We recognize the remarkable work of teachers on the front lines of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. In places like Beirut, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza, Haiti, Sudan and Ukraine, these teachers work in dangerous conditions to give girls and boys the life-saving – and life-affirming – opportunity that only a quality education can provide.

As a global fund for education in emergencies and long-term crises within the United Nations, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) puts the voice of teachers at the center of our work. Last year alone we have more than 100,000 teachers (59% women) trained on topics such as mental health, science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, gender integration and disaster preparedness. Approximately 60% of our 2023 investments went toward teacher recruitment and/or financial support for teacher retention, with a focus on equity and inclusivity. With this joint work, a total of 5.6 million children and young people affected by the crisis were reached in 2023.

In Nigeria, where around 18 million children are out of school, courageous and courageous teachers are making a difference Hafsat a real change. In the Hajj camp in Borno state, Hafsat and other teachers teach girls and boys who were either children of members of armed groups or child soldiers themselves. In this wild corner of northeastern Nigeria, children are born of and in conflict and live in constant fear of kidnapping, forced recruitment, enslavement and sexual exploitation.

Imagine the difference Hafsat can make in the lives of her students, her community, and the world at large, as she puts it: “I love children, and I also believe my work is important for peacebuilding.”

We face a number of challenges in mobilizing, training and supporting teachers, particularly on the front lines of armed conflict, forced displacement, the climate crisis and other humanitarian disasters. According to a current analysis by our partner organization UNESCO 44 million additional teachers will be needed to achieve universal primary and secondary education by 2030.

With more resources, we can create financial incentives to support teachers in war zones and climate disasters around the world. Not only are they affected themselves, we also have to empower them. We can train teachers like Hafsat to respond to the unique needs of children who have experienced the horrors of war and terror. We can shape policies and systems in countries to ensure gender-equitable education and encourage students to become strong through resilience.

And we can work together to ensure coordinated and synchronized support across the humanitarian, development and peace sectors to connect teachers, students and the communities they serve to a new social contract, which is based on universal values and universal human rights. Today we honor all teachers who find themselves in the most difficult situations in the world. Now we have to act.

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