International Day of the Teacher

World Teachers' Day is celebrated worldwide on 5th October and has been since 1996. The aim of the day is to highlight the important work that teachers do every day. Happy Teachers' Day, dear teachers!

Let's value teachers properly – strengthen their position.

It was established International Teachers' Day initiated by UNESCO and Education International in 1994. The aim of the day has always been to highlight the important work that teachers do in the world – but also to strengthen the solidarity of teachers and to consider how children's education can best be organised in the future. The international organisation selects a campaign theme each year, and this time the slogan is 'Value Teachers, Strengthen Their Position'.  Within the International Federation of Education Unions, there are around 30 million teachers belonging to more than 400 teachers' unions in 171 countries. Icelandic teachers are part of this group, as KÍ is a member of the International Federation of Education Unions. 

The Icelandic Teachers„ Association will, as ever, celebrate Teachers“ Day. A short story competition is being held in play schools, primary schools and secondary schools across the country, with the theme "my teacher." A competition of this kind was held for the first time last year and was considered a great success. Today, the KÍ Education Conference will also be held. At the conference, professional leadership by teachers will be discussed, and the keynote speaker will be Dr David Frost, professor and academic at the University of Cambridge. The School Education Summit is inspired by work at KÍ aimed at fostering a positive discussion about the teaching profession and school and education policy, as well as the book Flip the System. Changing Education from the Ground Up, which was published in connection with last year's World Congress of the Education International (EI). Its purpose is to support teachers and their organisations in strengthening the teaching profession as a leading force in education and school policy, and education as a guiding principle for equality and democracy in society. Dr David Frost is among the contributors to the book's chapters on professional teacher leadership.

 The hashtag of the day is #TeacherDayHere at home, while those who want to join the international conversation can use #WorldTeacherDay. 

We wish all the teachers in the country a happy day!