NEW YORK, Oct 05 (IPS) – We must create a new social contract for education – a contract based on equity, equality, and the rights of all people. In our global efforts to ensure education for all, we must put teachers first in everything we do. They are the leading heroes who deliver every day to educate children, cultivate young talent, and build a strong community. They are surrogate parents, mentors and those who have a hand in shaping a child’s identity in war, security or climate change.
On World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the incredible work done by teachers on the front lines of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. In places like Beirut, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza, Haiti, Sudan and Ukraine, these teachers work in dangerous conditions to give girls and boys the life-saving – and life-affirming – opportunity that only quality education can provide.
As the global fund for education in emergencies and long-term crises within the United Nations, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) puts teachers’ voices first in everything we do. Last year alone, we provided training to more than 100,000 teachers (59% women) on topics ranging from mental health, science education, technology, engineering and mathematics, gender inclusion and disaster reduction. Approximately 60% of the investments operating through 2023 support teacher recruitment and/or financial assistance for teacher retention, with a focus on equity and inclusion. This joint project reached a total of 5.6 million disabled children and youth by 2023.
In Nigeria, where nearly 18 million children are out of school, brave and courageous teachers like Hafsat are making a real difference. At the Hajj camp in Borno State, Hafsat and other teachers like her provide education for girls and boys who may have been children of armed group members or who may have been child soldiers themselves. In this wild part of Northeastern Nigeria, children are born into conflict and live in fear of kidnapping, forced labor, slavery and sexual exploitation.
Think of the difference Hafsat can make in the lives of her students, her community and the world at large; as he puts it: “I love children, and I believe that my work is important in building peace.”
We face many challenges to mobilize, train and support teachers, especially those on the front lines of conflict, forced displacement, climate and other humanitarian disasters. According to a recent analysis from our partner UNESCO, 44 million more teachers are needed to achieve universal primary and secondary education by 2030.
With more funding we can provide funding to inspire teachers in war zones and climate disasters around the world. Apart from them being affected, we should also empower them. We can train teachers like Hafsat to address the unique needs of children who have experienced the horrors of war and terror. We can develop policies and programs in countries to ensure gender inclusive education and encourage students to turn their strengths into strengths.
And we can work together to ensure systematic and coordinated support across the humanitarian-development-peace movement to connect teachers, students and the communities they serve to deliver a new social contract based on universal values and human rights. Today, we honor all the teachers in the most difficult situations in the world. Now, we must take action.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
