Stand up for teachers

CROSSROADS

By Jonathan de la Cruz

We join the rest of the world in paying tribute to teachers today, Oct. 5, as we celebrate World Teachers Day. Commemorated annually since 1994 by teachers organizations and governments worldwide. Today is doubly significant as it is also the anniversary of the 1966 signature of the Unesco/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers. Thus, the celebration has gained recognition as a “significant token of the awareness, understanding and appreciation of peoples and organizations everywhere for the vital contribution that teachers make to education and development worldwide.”

Thanks to the efforts of Unesco and other international bodies including Education International (EI), the global federation representing education professionals worldwide, over 100 countries, including the Philippines, have been observing World Teachers Day since. 

In due time, there is no doubt that this commemorative activity will cover all countries as no self-respecting country and its citizens will deny appropriate support for teachers and the teaching profession in the face of rapid globalization, the breaking down of barriers to travel and the integrative standardization of almost all professions worldwide.

This year’s celebratory motto “Take a stand for teachers!” is most appropriate specially in light of the participating countries’ continuing struggle to meet the objectives outlined under the global reformation program aptly termed Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Speaking for her colleagues within the international support group for teachers and the teaching profession, Unesco Director-General Irina Bokova rightfully noted that “Teachers ...ultimately determine the world’s collective ability to innovate, to invent, to find solutions for tomorrow. Nothing will ever replace a good teacher. Nothing is more important than supporting them.”

In a rare show of unity and a clear endorsement of the priceless sacrifices and value of teachers and the teaching profession in global growth, stability and development, the chief executives of four key United Nations agencies, Unesco’s Bokova, ILO’s Guy Ryder, UNDP’s Helen Clark and Unicef’s Anthony Lake, and EI’s general secretay Fred van Leeuween, issued the following statement:

“On this World Teachers Day, we take a stand for teachers. Teachers are the foundations of good schools and good schools are the pillars of healthy and democratic communities...Teachers are the keys to reaching the Education for All goals.

“An estimated 1.7 million more teacher positions are required to reach the goals of Universal Primary Education by 2015. As we recruit new teachers, we must continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Governments are urged to provide teachers with access to training opportunities and continued professional development, based on appropriate qualifications. Attracting committed and diverse teachers requires environments that value professional autonomy and equality. Teachers need to be supported in fulfilling their responsibilities to students, and their voices must be listened to by school leaders, education systems and public authorities. Teachers’ salaries must be set objectively and fairly, such that renumeration is commensurate with the importance of the profession and the qualifications and responsibilities of individual teachers. 

“Teachers, in turn, must be accountable to their students and communities. The teaching profession is encouraged to design and implement teacher codes of conduct, based on the highest ethical and professionals tandards, and to be oriented around the goal of teaching all students effectively and equally.

“The World Teachers Day is an opportunity  to honor the women and men who inspire, challenge and nurture us. On this day, we call for the creation of supportive teaching environments, adequate teacher training and safeguards for the rights of teachers. We must break the vicious cycle of declining professional conditions for teachers in order to improve the quality of learning for all. The world expects a lot from teachers — they, in turn, are right to expect as much from us. This World Teachers Day is an opportunity to take a stand for all teachers.”

This powerful message from leaders of the international community involved in the welfare, protection and empowerment of teachers and the enhanced standing of the teaching profession need to be imbibed, supported and set into fruition not only by government but the citizenry as well. Indeed, if we are to truly become a self-respecting and forward looking nation and people we cannot afford to let our teachers, especially those belonging to the public school system and those missionary institutions in the nooks and far corners of the land.

Coming from a family of teachers myself I am a living witness to the sacrifices and dedication of our teachers as they mould the minds and character of millions of our children be these in or out of school. In the olden days, the teaching profession was considered the most respected of professions. Over time, however, as support for educational enhancement and reform waned in direct proportion to the politicalization and corruption of the entire system, teachers were increasingly became marginalized and impoverished, materially and otherwise. In many instances, they became pawns, if not virtual slaves, to the powers-that-be.

Worse, they were made to carry the burden of improving not only their own lot but a good part of their classroom requirements. I have been told of teachers shelling out their hard-earned money to buy instructional materials and visual aids. They were burdened by multi-subject teaching and also made to assume a variety of roles quite apart from their basic teaching chores. They become cooks, servers and nurse maids as and when the occasion calls for it. Sometimes, they even have to be performers for visiting dignitaries. But the most abominable cut of all is the non-payment of their enrolment with the GSIS and PhilHealth, to name just two of the social security and welfare net set up for them under the law.

In fine, the system has become so muddled and dysfunctional which ultimately degraded the environment for professional growth and ethical practices. It is time government and the citizenry bring back the love, care and respect for our teachers and the teaching profession. After all, even the most powerful and successful persons in politics, business and other sectors have looked up to at least a teacher who has made a difference in their lives apart from their own parents or guardians.

No less than Education Secretary Brother Armin Luistro who was himself the chief executive of a prestigious school before being enlisted for government service has acknowledged the dedication and inspiration instilled in him by his own professors. In urging the nation to “look kindly and give our teachers the recognition they deserve.”

Luistro adverted to his own experience and to the initiatives DepEd have been pushing to improve the lot of our teachers. Said Luistro: “All of us were once students and we all have at least one teacher who have made a difference in our lives and to whom we owe who we are today.” In particular, the good secretary paid tribute to Professor Emerita Quinto whom he considered as one of his life-changing teachers. “Professor Quinto,” Luistro advised, “taught me that life is beyond textbooks and philosophy is everywhere.”

We will soon see whether under this administration the lot of our teachers and the environment for professional and material growth for our teachers and their profession will indeed improve as promised. I understand for starters Secretary Luistro and his colleagues together with Budget Secretary Butch Abad and GSIS president Robert Vergara have managed to finally put together a package to update the GSIS membership and thus the benefits of teachers, both active and retired, which sadly were neglected through the years. This is just a first step in an excruciating journey toward reform and development in the educational sector specially in the lot of teachers.

As Luistro noted: “I do believe if only we, as  a nation, learn to appreciate the value of teachers, the rest of our needs as a nation will be provided much better. A nation that is unable to appreciate the contribution of a teacher is a nation that is unable to see a bright future.” 

How true. We certainly hope Brother Luistro will soon come around to making the public and his co-workers in government realize the true value of good teachers in uplifting our life as a nation and as a people.