World Teachers' Day: Why does the world celebrate it on October 5?

While India celebrates Teachers’ Day on September 5 on the birth anniversary of the former Indian President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the world observes it on October 5. UNESCO mentioned this day as International Teachers Day to commemorate the “Teaching in Freedom” pact signed on October 5, 1966 at a special intergovernmental conference convened in Paris. The recommendation vows for the rights and responsibilities of teachers, recruitment, employment, teaching and learning conditions. Today, the world also celebrates 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 by the United Nations.

Every year, UNESCO celebrates the day to promote the teaching profession. The theme for 2018 is ‘The right to education means the right to a qualified teacher’.

As per the UN, there is a wide “teacher gap” and to reach the 2030 education goals of universal primary and secondary education, the world needs to hire close to 69 million new teachers. This gap is more evident among girls, children with disabilities, refugee and migrant children, or poor children living in rural or remote areas.

Countries that celebrate October 5 as Teachers Day
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Macedonia, Maldives, Mauritius, Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Kuwait, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, United Arab Emirates.
News Source (Indian Express)