World Teachers Day: Education Ministry to award outstanding teachers

By Patricia Kapulula

LILONGWE-(MANA)-As part of celebrations to mark World Teachers’ Day, Ministry of Education (MoE) will award best performing teachers from primary and secondary schools, as well as from teacher training colleges, to acknowledge their contribution to the education sector.

World Teachers’ Day is celebrated globally on October 5 each year, but Malawi will commemorate the day on October 18 at Grand Palace Hotel in Mzuzu.

Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima told journalists during a press briefing in Lilongwe on Tuesday that government is committed to motivate teachers through various initiatives such as the awards.

Kambauwa Wirima said if the country is to develop and align itself to the aspirations of the Malawi 2063, the nation needs to have educated people, hence teacher motivation is important for efficient and effective service delivery.

She, therefore, appealed to the community to join hands with government in acknowledging teachers’ contribution, saying such a gesture is not only government’s job but also the community’s.

“Everyone knows a teacher and each one of us has a teacher that stands out in his or her life. As part of a national acknowledgement and recognition for teachers, we are all called to celebrate outstanding teachers in our lives by stepping forward to thank teachers nearest to us with any kind of appreciation,” she said.

Steering Committee Co-chairperson for the event, Rose Kalizang’oma, said an agreed empirical method is used to select best teachers for national recognition, motivation and acknowledgement.

Two teachers each from primary and secondary schools from the 34 education districts and 18 teachers from the teacher training colleges will be awarded with a certificate and cash, among other things.

The event, which will be held under the theme ‘The teachers we need for the education we want’ will start with a march led by the Malawi Police Brass Band from Mzuzu High Court Roundabout to Grand Palace Hotel.

World Teachers’ Day was collaboratively established in 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other partners in order to commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of teachers.