Message from President Paula-Mae Weekes on World Teachers’ Day 2019—October 5.
"On World Teachers’ Day, we recognise the outstanding contributions of the unsung heroes who inspire boundless creativity, confidence and success in the lives of their students. Teachers are uniquely tasked with instilling the joy of learning in their charges and with nurturing and shaping the imagination. According to celebrated author and university professor, CS Lewis, The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.
"Although teaching can be a demanding, often complex undertaking, it can also be rewarding, particularly when students go on to achieve their greatest potential.
"This year, the theme of World Teachers’ Day, Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession, highlights the importance of ensuring that teaching remains an attractive and viable option for young people. If the teaching profession is to retain and renew its appeal, its structure and existing pedagogical methods must keep pace with the demands of modern technological advances and social transformation.
"Teachers should be well-equipped, suitably compensated and undergo continuous professional training. Our curricula must reflect our culture and history and convey contemporary matters of national significance. Importantly, teachers should be supported and afforded due recognition for their critical role in imparting both academic knowledge and emotional care to their students.
"On this World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the herculean efforts and daily sacrifices of our educators and recognise the immense value and pertinence of teaching to national development."