World Teachers Day on October 5 traces back to 1966 Paris conference on teachers' rights

World Teachers Day is observed across the world on October 5 every year. The day honours teachers' contribution and also reminds people of their rights and responsibilities worldwide.

Teachers are said to lay the foundation of a society's progress and the growth of its culture. The journey from giving a young child the first lessons to shaping a responsible, cultured and sensitive citizen is completed under teachers' guidance. Teachers do not merely teach from books. They build children's character, steer their thinking in the right direction and brighten their future by giving the talents within them a chance.

In India, National Teachers' Day is observed on September 5, the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. October 5 is known worldwide as World Teachers Day. The day is considered an important occasion to review the social, economic and professional condition of teachers across the world and to improve the education system further.

The history of how the day began is an interesting one. On October 5, 1966, a special intergovernmental conference was convened in Paris on the joint initiative of UNESCO and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The conference adopted a historic recommendation covering teachers' rights, their working conditions, their right to employment and their quality. The recommendation set out in detail teachers' rights, their responsibilities, initial and further education, and conditions of employment.

On the 25th anniversary of that event, in 1994, UNESCO formally declared October 5 World Teachers Day. Since then, educational programmes, workshops and felicitation ceremonies have been held every year on October 5 in more than 100 countries. On the day, experts from different fields gather to discuss what changes can be made in teaching methods and how teachers can be made stronger.

Today's world is one of fast-changing digital technology. The internet, artificial intelligence (AI) and online platforms put a vast store of information a click away. But getting information is one thing; using it well and turning it into knowledge is another. This is where the teacher's role becomes most important. However far technology advances, and even if robots arrive, they can never replace a teacher. The compassion, human values, love, discipline and power to impart moral lessons that teachers have are beyond any machine.

The teacher's role is no longer limited to lecturing in the classroom. Teachers have now become facilitators and mentors. During the Covid pandemic, when the whole world came to a standstill, teachers worked day and night to learn online teaching and did not let children's education suffer. Learning new digital tools in a changed environment, giving children a modern education and making them mentally strong are challenges teachers are handling with ease.

The development of any country or society rests on its education system and the quality of its teachers. If a country's education system is strong and teachers get due respect and facilities in society, that country reaches great heights of progress. World Teachers Day is a reminder that teachers are the real foundation of education.

So, rather than limiting it to one day, we should always keep a sense of gratitude and respect for our teachers. On this special day, it is our first duty to sincerely bow to and thank the teachers who set our lives on the right course, showed the way in hard times and shaped us.