04-10-2013, 04:05 PM
South Africa will tomorrow join the world in honouring and commending teachers for the sacrifices they make in ensuring learners get quality education, even under trying circumstances.
Celebrated annually on 5 October across the globe, World Teachers’ Day was set aside by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1996. The day pays tribute to teachers, raises awareness, understanding and appreciation for the contribution teachers make to education and development.
Held under the theme 'A Call for Teachers', the 2013 celebration will be a societal engagement that calls on all stakeholders, including aspiring young teachers to join in the celebrations of this noble profession.
President Jacob Zuma will mark the day by opening and handing over Ethridge Junior Secondary School to the community of Redoubt, Mbizana, in the Eastern Cape.
The school has been built by Anglo American Platinum as part of compliance with the Social and Labour Plan of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act.
The project, according to the Presidency, was facilitated by the Department of Mineral Resources and has been identified as one of the projects that would contribute towards rural development in one of the labour-sending areas in the Eastern Cape.
Appreciation for local teachers
Messages of support have started to trickle in for the country’s educators.
In her message, Mpumalanga Education MEC Reginah Mhaule said teachers were and will always remain the backbone of the struggle for people emancipation and socio-economic development.
“The pride of every nation is its children and more importantly the education of children is used as a gauge and tool to make future projections for socio-economic progress and development.â€
Mhaule said the country must pride itself in the dedicated, creative and effective teachers to encourage best practices in schools. The MEC also urged parents to encourage their children to make teaching a career of choice, because “without good teachers, all other professions will sufferâ€.
“We thus make a call to all our teachers to strive for improvement in the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in public education as well as to develop learners' abilities to build a sustainable future with citizens who are able to take action in their own communities and contribute to developmental challenges,†said Mhaule.
She said her department will continue to work side by side with teachers' labour formations to accelerate all efforts aimed at creating an enabling environment for teaching and learning to take place.
Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe said schools should be centres of learning and teaching, not sites of bullying, gangsterism and criminality.
He was referring to the recent shooting of Tourism and Business Studies teacher, Johan Jordaan, by a learner at Sasolburg High School -- an incident which Makgoe condemned.
“As we celebrate the World Teachers’ Day, we urge all education stakeholders -including parents, learners and community members - to unite and stand against any form of school-based violence,†said Makgoe.
He called on teachers to continually develop the professional skills throughout their careers.
According Makgoe, his province has allocated more than 80% of the skills levy for Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) to revitalise the profession and to reward those who commit themselves to “raising the bar and leaving no child behindâ€.
Makgoe also thanked teachers for moulding ordinary children into extraordinary citizens.
“Thank you for igniting the spark of curiosity in children. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and making the world a better place.†– SAnews.gov.za
Celebrated annually on 5 October across the globe, World Teachers’ Day was set aside by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1996. The day pays tribute to teachers, raises awareness, understanding and appreciation for the contribution teachers make to education and development.
Held under the theme 'A Call for Teachers', the 2013 celebration will be a societal engagement that calls on all stakeholders, including aspiring young teachers to join in the celebrations of this noble profession.
President Jacob Zuma will mark the day by opening and handing over Ethridge Junior Secondary School to the community of Redoubt, Mbizana, in the Eastern Cape.
The school has been built by Anglo American Platinum as part of compliance with the Social and Labour Plan of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act.
The project, according to the Presidency, was facilitated by the Department of Mineral Resources and has been identified as one of the projects that would contribute towards rural development in one of the labour-sending areas in the Eastern Cape.
Appreciation for local teachers
Messages of support have started to trickle in for the country’s educators.
In her message, Mpumalanga Education MEC Reginah Mhaule said teachers were and will always remain the backbone of the struggle for people emancipation and socio-economic development.
“The pride of every nation is its children and more importantly the education of children is used as a gauge and tool to make future projections for socio-economic progress and development.â€
Mhaule said the country must pride itself in the dedicated, creative and effective teachers to encourage best practices in schools. The MEC also urged parents to encourage their children to make teaching a career of choice, because “without good teachers, all other professions will sufferâ€.
“We thus make a call to all our teachers to strive for improvement in the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in public education as well as to develop learners' abilities to build a sustainable future with citizens who are able to take action in their own communities and contribute to developmental challenges,†said Mhaule.
She said her department will continue to work side by side with teachers' labour formations to accelerate all efforts aimed at creating an enabling environment for teaching and learning to take place.
Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe said schools should be centres of learning and teaching, not sites of bullying, gangsterism and criminality.
He was referring to the recent shooting of Tourism and Business Studies teacher, Johan Jordaan, by a learner at Sasolburg High School -- an incident which Makgoe condemned.
“As we celebrate the World Teachers’ Day, we urge all education stakeholders -including parents, learners and community members - to unite and stand against any form of school-based violence,†said Makgoe.
He called on teachers to continually develop the professional skills throughout their careers.
According Makgoe, his province has allocated more than 80% of the skills levy for Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) to revitalise the profession and to reward those who commit themselves to “raising the bar and leaving no child behindâ€.
Makgoe also thanked teachers for moulding ordinary children into extraordinary citizens.
“Thank you for igniting the spark of curiosity in children. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and making the world a better place.†– SAnews.gov.za