Today we join the rest of the world to celebrate World Teachers’ Day. This year’s theme, “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future” is especially significant as we face head on, the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the immense strain it has placed on education systems around the world.
As we join together to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide, we must take stock of our national achievements, and recognize the crucial role our teachers play in shaping our nation, even in these challenging times. Our educators have had cause to adapt to new norms of education delivery, and in so doing, are faced with the ever-present challenge: to ensure that no child is left behind.
As a government, we are doing our part to ensure that all the support mechanisms are in place to guarantee that our teachers are equipped to succeed. We commit to strengthening our education system and working with our educators to guide them through this uncharted landscape, shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This will be achieved through several robust measures which include; the delivery of education safely and effectively using innovative methods, capacity building for teachers through the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), improved access to education in hinterland communities and vulnerable areas and access to online training among other methods.
These interventions are of course possible through the recent budgetary allocation of $52B towards the education sector. In our manifesto commitments, while we assured of improved access to and quality of education at every level, we also assured of improved remuneration and conditions of service for teachers inclusive of opportunities for training and skills development.
I take this opportunity to express profound gratitude to all teachers and educators, past and present, across the length and breadth of this country. I would also like to use this occasion to assure you that your Government remains steadfast in our mission to improve not only access to education but to also improve the livelihoods of our educators.
