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Every day, in millions of classrooms around the world, the universal endeavour of teaching and learning takes place. The gift of literacy is passed on from one generation to the next, along with a love of learning and thirst for knowledge. October 5 is World Teachers' Day, a day set aside by the world community to celebrate teachers and the central role they play in nurturing and guiding infants, children, youth and adults through the life-long learning process.

It was on 5th October 1966 a special inter-governmental conference adopted the UNESCO / ILO recommendation concerning the status of teachers. The year 2008 marks the 42nd anniversary of the recommendations which defines the responsibilities of teachers and their rights throughout the world.

UNESCO inaugurated World Teachers' Day on 5th October 1994. This day was selected to commemorate the adoption of UNESCO / ILO Joint Recommendation. World Teachers' Day also highlights the Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel. World Teachers’ Day is celebrated in almost 100 countries. It lays emphasis on the achievements and contributions of the teachers around the world. The whole world celebrates the 14th year of World Teachers Day on 5th October 2008. World Teachers Day (WTD) is an occasion to celebrate the essential role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels. The annual celebrations of WTD on 5th October will be marked by a ceremony and a high-level panel discussion at UNESCO Headquarters.

On World Teachers’ Day 2008, the whole world should recognise that quality teachers are critical for providing quality education. Through their daily work, teachers make a tremendous contribution to sustainable development by building its human foundation, developing a child’s capacity and desire to learn. Across the globe, millions of children face hardships like inadequate food, shelter or other basic physical and emotional needs. Many still face towering odds in acquiring a basic education. On this Day, we are also reminded of the challenge for teachers of imparting a good education to pupils based on high learning standards, of making schools welcoming, encouraging and inclusive place in which all are treated with dignity and every child has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.

Unfortunately, many of the world’s more than 60 million teachers, with over a billion children in their care, teach in very difficult circumstances. The majority work in developing countries, many in communities where there is an urgent need to improve teaching and learning conditions, to retain skilled teachers and to attract good candidates to become teachers. In every community, teachers, like parents and children, need to have their voice heard. Therefore, on this day, the voice of teachers be heard in shaping the education decisions which they themselves have to carry out. Over 100 countries express their appreciation by observing World Teachers’ Day (WTD). The efforts of many parents and teacher’s organisations have contributed to this widespread recognition. Every year, public awareness campaigns are launched to highlight the contributions of the teaching profession.

On 5th October, teachers' organisations worldwide mobilise to ensure that the needs of future generations are taken into consideration in this increasingly complex, multicultural and technological world.

Famous Teachers throughout History:
Pythagoras (580 - 500 BC): A Greek philosopher and mathematician.
Sir Isaac Newton (1643 - 1728): An English mathematician and physicist. As a professor, he achieved respect and esteem.
William Du Bois (1868 - 1963): African - American scholar.
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955): Known for the formulation of the relativity theory, the German - born genius.
Aristotle (384 - 322 BC): A Greek philosopher, scientist, and physician, he opened his own school in Athens in 335 BC.

Ayn Rand (1905 - 1982): Winning fame for her novel, The Fountainhead. Russian - born Rand was an outspoken teacher of her own philosophic school.
Confucius (551 - 479 BC): Chinese philosopher and teacher, he was the founder of the humanistic school of philosophy known as Confucianism, which taught the concepts of benevolence, ritual, and propriety.
Galileo (1564 - 1642): Italian teacher and philosopher, by his persistent investigation of natural laws he laid foundations for modern experimental science.
Maria Montessori (1870 - 1952): An Italian physician, she developed a system of education for children ages three to six, based on freedom of movement, the provision of considerable choice for pupils, and the use of specially designed activities and equipment.

Dr. N. N. Prahlada, RIE
Courtesy: Star of Mysore