THE GAMBIA TEACHERS UNION/UNESCO-NATCOM

WORLD TEACHERS DAY (WTD) 5TH OCTOBER 2016

NARRATIVE REPORT

UNESCO proclaimed 5th October to be world Teachers Day in 1994, celebrating

the great steps made for teachers on 5th October 1966 when a special
intergovernmental conference by UNESCO in Paris adopted the UNESC/ILO
recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
This year 2016 GTU joins the rest of the World in commemorating the 50th
anniversary of World Teachers Day in grand style across the length and breadth
of the Gambia in all the administrative regions.
The theme for this year is valuing teachers improving their status.
In view of the aforementioned, the GTU together with the Ministry of Basic and
Secondary Education, the Ministry of Higher Education Research Science,
Technology and Religious Affairs, UNESCO/NATCOM, Action Aid International
The Gambia, Civil Society Organisations and all stakeholders in Education
gathered together with a view:
To creating a forum whereby various stakeholders in education engaged
the policy holders on matters of interest as regards valuing teachers;

To increasing awareness on the need to ensuring that society holds high

esteem and respect for teachers and regard them as part of the natural
order of things;

To encouraging public-private partnership and increase in education

financing and commitment to improvement the teachers status;

To advocating for better working condition for teachers

For ownership, sustenance and inclusiveness, nationwide celebrations were

held simultaneously on Wednesday 5th October. This was marked with
processions with support from Police and in some cases, the Scout Bands. This
was meant to draw public attention to the day and the plight of teachers.
The National Radio and Television covered the highlight event. Local radio
stations covered both the regional and national celebrations and in some

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instances live coverage. National Media Houses published a Press Release on the
occasion of the Day.
In all a total number of 1200 teachers from all regions , officials from
MoBSE/MoHERST, Regional Governors, Alkalos, Representatives of civil society
organizations , NGOs, Parents, Students, School Management Committee
Members, Local opinion leaders and students were in attendance
On the eve of the day, 4th of October, the Minister for Basic and Secondary
Education Honourable Dr. Fatou Lamin Faye made a television broadcast to the
Gambian population. In her state of the nation address, an excerpt of her speech
is as below:
Tomorrow, we will be joining the world over to celebrate our gallant teachers. I
invite people from every walk of life to recognize the indispensable, often difficult
and self-sacrificing role played by teachers in providing quality education. I pay
tribute to all members of the teaching profession, not least to those who are
working in the most difficult conditions. We encourage all teachers to take pride
in their profession and to continue working within their chosen career, for
improvement in the quality of their teaching and for the achievement of our
national targets. Teachers are vivid exemplars of lifelong learning and
information societies.
The Permanent Secretary delivered the Keynote address during the highlight
event. He asserted that, according to the Education Policy 2016 to 2030, during
this policy period and in addressing the needs of the teacher, the sector intends
to .... Develop and implement sound and comprehensive strategies in support of
teacher professional standards and ethics, systematic in-service training and
periodical external curriculum review for teacher education. Such strategies will
be intensified to strengthen teacher quality and the institutionalization of in-
service teacher training with a view to producing well trained teacher educators.
To this end, the current continuing professional development programme will be
further developed to meet the diverse training needs of teachers within a
framework of a motivational teacher education programme as inscribed in the
Education Sector Policy 2016 to 2030.

The President of the Union, Mr Martin Gomez reminded the gathering that
Education International, the parent body of Unions encourages all unions to
cooperate with relevant education stakeholders, including, the Ministry of
Education and other education authorities, UNESCO, civil society and other
partners in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ILO/UNESCO
Recommendations Concerning the Status of Teachers and demanding its full

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implementation by governments. The voices of teachers must be heard
throughout the world on 5th October and governments must be reminded of their
obligation to improve the status of the teaching profession.
Mr Lamin Jarju Senior Programmes Officer at UNESCO National Commission
read the joint message from agency heads of UNESCO, ILO, UNDP and Education
International. According to the respective agency heads, teaching could be an
attractive, first choice profession, if teachers were valued commensurate with
the immense value they provide to our children and if their professional status
as educators reflected the enormous impact their profession has on our shared
future.
In his turn, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Higher Education Research
Science, Technology and Religious Affairs reiterated a point in the Global
Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2013/14 that the quality of an education is
only as good as the quality of its teachers. He alluded to the fact that, in the
strength and effectiveness of teacher education and teacher professional
development there are some essential components such as:
1. Good conditions of employment including appropriate contracts and
salaries, and prospects for career progression and promotion.

2. Good conditions in the work environment, based on creating school

contexts that are conducive to teaching, high-quality pre-in-service
training for teachers based on respect for human rights and the principles
of inclusive education and effective management including teacher
recruitment and deployment.

During the Symposium and open forum, teachers raised pertinent issues ranging
from teacher deployment to training opportunities. This led to serious
engagement between the teachers and their employers and representatives.
The Permanent Secretary made very strong commitments to consolidate the
gains already made in relation to valuing the teachers in the Gambia. As a sector
we will continue to prioritise the investments on teacher education and welfare
with a view to improving the teacher quality in the education system.
The Ministry will look for every possible means to make teachers more
comfortable in discharging their duties. He asserted his Ministrys commitment
in fulfilling the pronouncement in the Education Sector Policy 2016 2030.
The Celebrations ended with a lot of Funfair.

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General Secretary GTU (L R) P.S MoBSE, President GTU, P. S MoHERST

The President GTU Cross Section of Participants RED 1

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High table from RED 3 Kerewan March pass in RED 3 Kerewan

Scout Band RED 3 Kerewan Cross section of participants in Mansakonko

Teachers marching in RED 4 Mansakonko The high table in RED 4 Mansakonko