Ottawa – On World Teachers’ Day (WTD), the education unions in Uganda, Togo and the Gambia were named this year’s recipients of the Norm Goble Award.
The successful organizations proposed various activities and events to highlight the teaching profession on World Teachers’ Day.
The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), Togo’s Fédération des Syndicats de l’Éducation Nationale (FESEN) and the Gambia Teachers’ Union (GTU) stood out among the field of nine applicants for the annual award presented by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE).
Created in 2014, the Norm Goble Award is offered annually to encourage the international partners of the CTF/FCE to organize activities on WTD. Each recipient will receive $1,500 to implement their activities. One of the award’s criteria is the relevance to the CTF/FCE 2022 World Teachers’ Day theme, The Answer Begins with Teachers.
Award recipients activities
The UNATU is holding a symposium with student and teacher leaders, officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports and other stakeholders to address the effects of school closures during the last two years, and to generate ideas to promote a better teaching and learning environment.
“UNATU will take this opportunity to pay tribute to the important role that teachers play in shaping the future,” said UNATU general secretary Filbert Baguma.
The FESEN is celebrating and highlighting the work of teachers by holding a series of events to engage various sectors/groups. Among the activities planned are speeches and debates, a 10K teachers’ run, distribution of posters and other materials, community football matches and a family/community picnic.
The GTU is hosting a radio program in all regions of the Gambia to honour teachers and to raise the profile of the profession. The radio program is a live two-hour event and will be organized by the regional executive committees, who will participate with local hosts to take calls from the public.
About the award
The Norm Goble World Teachers’ Day Award commemorates Dr. Norman Goble, who served as the CTF/FCE secretary general from 1970 to 1982, and secretary general of the World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession from 1982 to 1988. The creation of World Teachers’ Day was in part due to Goble’s contributions to education in Canada and throughout the developing world.
Working with Education International, the CTF/FCE advocated for the creation of World Teachers’ Day. In 1994, UNESCO established the day to focus attention on the contributions and achievements of teachers, and to highlight teachers’ concerns and priorities regarding education. October 5 was selected as the date to internationally celebrate teachers because, on the same day in 1966, a special intergovernmental conference adopted the UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of teachers. In adopting this recommendation, governments unanimously recognized the importance for society to have competent, qualified and motivated teachers. ❚
