Lerato Mbhiza
Deputy President Paul Mashatile said teachers have a crucial role in nurturing, fostering critical thinking, inspiring dreams and pushing the limits of human potential, while speaking at the 14th policy dialogue forum of the International Task Force on teachers for education 2030 in Johannesburg on Monday.
“We thus owe it to these titans of our society to recognise, honour, empower, and value them as well as the job that they do. Most importantly, significant consideration must be made on how we should improve their working conditions and remuneration as a way of appreciating their hard work, so that they can be able to fulfill their important task without getting discouraged” he said.
The Task Force is a global platform for education stakeholders, which aims to foster advocacy, knowledge exchange, peer learning and monitoring progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education.
Mashatile added that as we are in a digital age, educators need to learn how to effectively utilise new technologies to remain relevant and efficient.
“To increase participation in the teachers profession, we should provide competitive compensation and recognise teachers’ achievements. This may be achieved by creating a culture that promotes excellence and creativity, as well as cultivating a sense of pride and purpose among educators” Mashatile said.
“We have to do whatever it takes to attract young people with bright minds to this profession and address the issue of teacher shortages”.
“As we gather here at this conference, we anticipate that the six outcomes of the 2024 Policy Dialogue Forum will present opportunities for improvement, develop insights and policy recommendations, and strengthen methods of addressing teacher shortages”.
To tackle the worldwide shortage of teachers, a comprehensive strategy is needed that focuses on improving, diversifying, and embracing the teaching profession, he said.
“Let us commit to working together to create a safe and inclusive learning environment for young children, while also recognising the important role played by our teachers.
“As policymakers and leaders, it is our responsibility to attract and retain exceptional educators. I also believe that a key component of any effective educational system is the ability to recruit and maintain a workforce of highly qualified teachers”.
INSIDE EDUCATION
