THE STATUS OF TEACHERS: A SIXTY-YEAR CALL, A RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE FUTURE
· Halil ETYEMEZ
Today is October 5th, World Teachers' Day. I celebrate the World Teachers' Day of all our teachers who dedicate their knowledge, labor, and hearts to raising our children. We remember with gratitude the teachers who have contributed to us; I wish God's mercy upon those who have passed away and health, peace, and long lives to those who are alive.
Today is October 5th, World Teachers' Day. I celebrate the World Teachers' Day of all our teachers who dedicate their knowledge, labor, and hearts to raising our children. We remember with gratitude the teachers who have contributed to us; I wish God's mercy upon those who have passed away and health, peace, and long lives to those who are alive.
Our gratitude towards our teachers must be complemented by a responsibility that supports their labor and preserves their professional dignity. This is because there is a strong connection between a country's educational goals and the opportunities it offers its teachers. The grand dreams we build for our children are realized through the teacher's knowledge, labor, and guidance in the classroom. For this reason, how a teacher is trained, under what conditions they work, and to what extent they participate in decision-making processes directly concern the future of society.
This year, World Teachers' Day calls us to reconsider this responsibility in light of historical accumulation. UNESCO, together with the International Labour Organization, is centering the 60th anniversary of the 1966 Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. It focuses on the protection of the teaching profession, the enhancement of its status, and its role in shaping the future.
The fact that the principles laid down sixty years ago are being discussed again today shows that the issue of teachers requires continuous attention and responsibility. As expectations from education change, we need to evaluate the preparation and working conditions of teachers in line with these expectations.
The recommendation adopted in Paris on October 5, 1966, established a broad framework from teacher training and professional development to employment and working conditions. This document, which covers teachers working in public and private schools from pre-school to the end of secondary education, aims to guide countries' educational policies. Although it is not legally binding, it provides an international framework for evaluating the teaching profession.
A notable aspect of the document is that it addresses teachers' rights and responsibilities together. Teaching is defined as a profession that requires specialized knowledge, continuous learning, and responsibility for student development. Professional autonomy, fair advancement, consultation with teacher organizations, and fair remuneration are also part of this understanding.
My experience, spanning from teaching to educational management and supervision, union responsibilities, public administration, and parliamentary work, has allowed me to see the value of this integrity. The responsibility we expect from teachers and the support we provide them must complement each other. If we want teachers to develop themselves, know their students closely, and lead innovations in education, we must also create the time, opportunity, and environment of trust for this.
UNESCO's 2026 approach assesses the status of teachers in three dimensions: the value society places on the profession; the teacher's autonomy, support, and voice; and remuneration, workload, and working environment. It draws attention to the impact of developments such as digitalization, climate change, inclusivity, migration, and displacement on these dimensions.
The implication of this approach for educational policies is clear: strengthening the prestige of teachers requires coherent steps in interconnected areas. A teacher who receives support for professional development, whose labor is adequately compensated, who is evaluated fairly, and whose opinions are consulted can fulfill their responsibilities with a stronger sense of confidence.
One of the significant works carried out by UNESCO and ILO is the updating of the 1966 recommendation. The process, built on research, independent expert evaluations, and consultation with member states, considers issues such as artificial intelligence, demographic change, climate problems, inclusivity, and education in crisis environments. We are talking about an effort to renew the international framework, not a new regulation that has been completed.
Today's teacher may encounter students with different needs in the same classroom. Reaching a child with learning difficulties, supporting the adaptation of a student who has arrived due to migration, and understanding the effects of the digital world require different knowledge and skills. The response to these responsibilities must be provided through strong guidance services, peer solidarity, and needs-based training. An institutional culture that stands by the teacher also supports the child's development.
UNESCO's work in the field of artificial intelligence is also meaningful in this regard. The competency framework prepared for teachers defines 15 competencies in five areas: human-centered approach, ethics, fundamentals and applications of artificial intelligence, its use in teaching, and professional learning. It aims to guide countries' teacher training and development programs.
The fundamental principle we must protect from our perspective here is that technology serves human development. The teacher's judgment, the trust relationship they establish with their students, and their ethical example must remain at the center of education. While teaching our children to use digital tools, we must also instill in them the ability to question the accuracy of information, respect the rights of others, and take responsibility for their own labor.
Another aspect of international work is monitoring implementation. The joint expert committee of ILO and UNESCO, CEART, monitors the implementation of recommendations concerning teaching staff. This mechanism, which can also evaluate notifications from teacher organizations regarding implementation problems, supports development through reviews and recommendations. The lesson we can draw from this experience is that regular evaluation and feedback are as necessary in education as good intentions.
We must evaluate this accumulation for Turkey in conjunction with our own educational experience and needs. Strengthening the bond between teacher training institutions and schools, providing guidance for newly appointed teachers, developing meritocracy in management, and increasing teachers' contribution to decision-making processes are areas that need attention. The success of these efforts will also be determined by whether professional development activities respond to the real needs in the classroom.
In our understanding of civilization, teaching gains meaning through the responsibility of nurturing human beings. At the heart of this responsibility lie ethics as much as knowledge, justice as much as success, and a sense of trust as much as authority. Protecting the professional dignity of teachers and respecting their labor must be the daily manifestation of this understanding.
The sixty-year international accumulation invites us today to a concrete responsibility: to train teachers well, to support their development, to protect their rights, and to listen to their voices.
As we entrust our children to teachers, we must also see the professional future of teachers as our shared responsibility. The dignity of teachers is an indicator of the value society places on the future.
Our esteemed teachers; I sincerely thank each of you for the generations you have raised, the labor you have provided, and the beautiful traces you have left in our lives.
Forgive me my shortcomings. May you be entrusted to God.