Eastern Visayas mentors to celebrate World Teachers’ Day on Oct. 5

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 3 (PNA) -- Thousands of teachers and education officials from Eastern Visayas will join this year’s regional celebration of World Teachers’ Day on Wednesday to honor those in the teaching profession.

The event, to be held at the Tacloban City Convention Center, will highlight the celebration of Teachers’ Month that is anchored on the theme, “Guro Kabalikat sa Pagbabago” (Teachers Partners for Change).

“We expect about 4,000 participants from the 13 school division offices and half of them are from Tacloban City,” said Department of Education (DepEd) city schools division superintendent Thelma Quitalig.

Key officials from the DepEd central office, regional office and field offices in cities and provinces will join the one-day activity that will be hosted by the Tacloban division. DepEd Undersecretary for curriculum and instruction Dina Ocampo will lead the event.

Activities include zumba, fun walk, ecumenical services, bloodletting, opening program, live bands, and DepEd “Hollywood Night”.

Among the free services to be offered are massage, hair and makeup, legal assistance, government insurance, housing, health insurance, employment services, and medical and dental checkups.

“Negotiation is being made by our office with nearby establishments in the city to offer 10 percent discounts to be availed by the teachers,” Quitalig told reporters.

The celebration acknowledges the crucial role, loyal service and dedicated commitment of teachers in developing globally-minded citizens, nurturing families, strengthening communities, and building the nation.

It seeks to revitalize the image of and respect for the teaching profession as a vocation by increasing public awareness on the value of teachers in the Philippine society.

“We will take the occasion as an opportunity to build the image of teaching as an attractive and fulfilling profession," Quitalig said.

Public and private elementary and secondary schools that will not be able to join the regional celebration have been enjoined to conduct activities to honor teachers.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization proclaimed Oct. 5 as World Teachers’ Day in 1994, celebrating the great step made for teachers on Oct. 5, 1966, when a special intergovernmental conference convened by UNESCO in Paris adopted the UNESCO/International Labor Organization (ILO) recommendation concerning the status of teachers.

This recommendation sets forth the rights and responsibilities of teachers as well as international standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, teaching and learning conditions.

Since its adoption, the recommendation has been considered an important set of guidelines to promote teachers’ status in the interest of quality education, according to the UNESCO website. (PNA)
CVL/SARWELL Q. MENIANO