Teachers are highly regarded in the Philippines as instrumental to children’s growth and development. As pandemic restrictions ease, the role of teachers are becoming increasingly important as the impacts of the pandemic on education continue to be felt in the midst of recovery efforts.
As we commemorate Word Teacher’s Day, honoring teachers must include acknowledging the need to provide support by ensuring that they have a liveable wage and just working conditions, alongside opportunities to grow in their careers as children regain their footing in the classroom and the county recovers from the pandemic.
This year’s theme for World Teacher’s Day, The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers, emphasizes how change in the post-pandemic world can only be possible through changing teachers’ lives for the better. Conditions surrounding teachers’ recruitment and training, career progression and development, and participation and representation in policy and decision-making in education is reflective of the working conditions of every worker in the country, and we must continue to address gaps in the education system if we are to address gaps in governance in the country.
Teachers will continue to be at the frontlines as we continue the work necessary to rebuild our communities, and they need not just our support but for us to match their efforts on ground. The Bangsamoro government, especially those of us in the Parliament, must follow the lead of teachers and their students, as we collectively work on making quality and accessible education a reality for all.
