Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila recognized the “vocation” of teachers on Monday, ahead of the observance of World Teachers’ Day on October 5.
“Teaching is not only a profession. It is a vocation, a call from God. Teaching is not only work. It is service,” said the prelate over Church-run Radio Veritas 846.
“Thank you for your sincere answer to the call of service,” the cardinal addressed teachers as he recognized the challenges that teachers face during the pandemic.
“You deserve to be honored because you too are front-liners and heroes in the time of the pandemic,” said Cardinal Advincula.
He also called on the public to be “teachers to others” because both the young and the old can learn from each other.
“Through our good example and witness, let us teach and guide each other in a godly and straight way of life, good manners and fellowship,” said the cardinal.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers is scheduled to lead a “day of protest” and activities to forward their “5-World Teachers’ Day” demands: salary upgrading; overtime pay; laptop and internet allowance; Php3,000 inflation adjustment allowance; and Php10,000 poll workers’ pay.
The group said it aims to utilize their special day to register their condemnation of the government’s “continuing criminal neglect of and fascist attacks against the education sector.”
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inaugurated World Teachers’ Day in 1994 to focus attention on the contributions and achievements of teachers, and to highlight teachers’ concerns and priorities regarding education.
October 5 was selected as the date because on that date in 1966 a special intergovernmental conference adopted the UNESCO recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
For the first time, this recommendation gave teachers throughout the world an instrument that defines their responsibilities and asserts their rights.
This year’s World Teachers’ Day celebration focused on the theme “Teachers at the heart of education recovery” to recognize their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.
