Teachers face challenges at work, says Unesco

TEACHERS are a critical foundation in every society..

They provide children, teens and adults with the knowledge and skills they need to fulfill their potential. But around the world, far too many teachers do not have the freedom and support they need to do their job, said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) in a report recently.

That is why the theme of this year’s World Teachers Day “Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers” reaffirms the value of teachers and recognises the challenges many encounter in their professional lives.

Being an empowered teacher means having access to high-quality training, fair wages, and continuous opportunities for professional development.

It also means having the freedom to choose the most appropriate methods and approaches that enable more effective, inclusive and equitable education.

Furthermore, it means being able to teach in safety and security during times of political change, instability, and conflict.

But in many countries, academic freedom and teacher autonomy are under pressure, added the report.

For example, at the primary and secondary school levels in some countries, stringent accountability schemes have put enormous pressure on schools to deliver results on standardised tests, ignoring the need to ensure a broad-based curriculum that meets the diverse needs of students.

Academic freedom is critical for teachers at every level of education, but it is especially critical for higher-education teachers, supporting their ability to innovate, explore, and stay up-to-date on the latest pedagogical research.

At the tertiary level, teachers are often employed on a fixed-term, contingency basis. This in turn can result in greater job insecurity, diminished career prospects, higher workload and lower wages all of which can restrict academic freedom and undermine the quality of education that teachers can deliver.

Across all education levels, political pressure and business interests can curb the ability of educators to teach in freedom.

Teachers living and working in countries and communities affected by conflicts often face greater challenges.

This year marks the 20 year anniversary of the 1997 Unesco recommendation concerning the status of higher-education teaching personnel, which complements the 1966 Unesco/ILO (International Labour Organisation) recommendation concerning the status of teachers.

Together, these instruments constitute the main reference framework on the rights and responsibilities of teachers and educators.

Both stress the importance of teacher autonomy and academic freedom in building a world in which education and learning are truly universal. — Asia News Network