“My teacher said…”

Most parents are aware that a primary school teacher wields authority that far exceeds the classroom. It is not easy to argue with a six-year-old citing their teacher as source! This hero worship and the immeasurable impact of teachers is the focus of this year’s World Teachers’ Day. It is celebrated annually on 5 October but in South Africa this date is during the school holiday. This year, school governing body association FEDSAS will honour our teachers on 9 October.

“We are also celebrating another important milestone this year as it is exactly sixty years since the international community officially recognised the status of teachers,” says Dr Jaco Deacon, CEO of FEDSAS. Deacon says this status reflects teachers’ symbolic role in society, their professional authority and expertise, and the financial and other support necessary for them to do their jobs.

“In short, teachers deserve recognition for performing actual acts of heroism. In South Africa, many teachers continue to make a difference in our children’s lives despite an often challenging work environment. On World Teachers’ Day, parents and children have the opportunity to thank those teachers who make our world a better place. On all the other days, it is the duty of politicians, officials, and education role-players to make use of every possible opportunity to make our teachers’ world a better place through better education governance.”

This year, FEDSAS is celebrating our teachers with the #MyTeacherTheHero campaign. “There are so many stories about superhero teachers making a difference in our own or our children’s lives,” says Daniëlla van Heerden, Communication Manager at FEDSAS. “We invite everyone to share these stories, photos and videos on social media using the hashtag #MyTeacherTheHero. FEDSAS will be sharing some of these stories on the organisation’s platforms between 5 and 9 October.”

Van Heerden says the aim of the campaign is not only to say thank you but also to serve as inspiration. “At the end of a long year, tired teachers deserve recognition for their hard work. For parents it is comforting to see teachers’ commitment towards their children's future. And for the rest of South Africa it is just lekker to share in the positive energy of feel-good stories!”

Video link (Dr Jaco Deacon)