Cameron Dugmore
5 October 2007
Today, on World Teachers' Day, all over the world in over 100 countries, we
who represent governments are reminded of the important role of teachers within
society. Thanks in part to the efforts of Education International (EI) and its
348 member organisations and all our local teacher unions and education
activists, there is widespread global recognition of the profession.
Today we celebrate teachers and the central role they play in efforts to
achieve quality education for all children. We celebrate across all continents,
in towns and in villages, and we thank our teachers for their continued
commitment to the profession, often in difficult circumstances.
This year was without a doubt a difficult year for education in the country
and in the Western Cape. The prolonged industrial action has impacted heavily
on all of our lives. The main themes that refrained from across our teaching
corps were a decent working environment and a living wage.
Our teachers indicated that they needed more than verbal recognition of
their dedication and of the demands that they face. They united to signal to
the world that they needed tangible recognition of their unremitting efforts to
hold the social fabric together. They indicated strongly that they needed to be
acknowledged for their role as "educators" in the fullest sense of the word.
The industrial action has reminded us, the authorities, that we must continue
to acknowledge the role of teachers in our society and reaffirm the need to
work together to better understand the issues.
On this World Teachers' Day, I once again want to salute all of you who are
diligently arriving on time for school, properly preparing for classroom
lessons, conducting examinations and tests with integrity and give hope to the
future. I salute our teachers.
Enquiries:
Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689
E-mail: gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Education, Western Cape Provincial Government
5 October 2007
