By Samuel Olusegun Precious
Activities marking World Teachers Day 2026 are underway across the globe today, October 5, 2026.
Celebrated since 1994, the Day commemorates the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
This year’s celebration is historic as it marks the 60th anniversary of that Recommendation, which is now being revised to reflect new challenges.
UNESCO has announced the global theme as “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures.”
According to UNESCO, the theme centres on reviewing challenges related to teacher status – symbolic status when teaching is not valued, professional status shaped by limited autonomy and voice in policy, and material status compromised by salaries and workloads.
The global celebration is taking place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, co-convened by UNESCO, ILO, UNICEF and Education International, with high-level discussions and the award ceremony for the 9th UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development.
Nigeria’s Celebration
Here in Rivers State, the Nigeria Union of Teachers are gathering at the NUT State Secretariat along Obiri Ikwerre/ Airport Road in Port Harcourt to celebrate the event.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara is expected as the Special Guest of honour.
Also, the Federal Government has lined up rewards for outstanding teachers.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, announced that 14 awardees will be recognised under the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards.
The top three teachers will receive car gifts, the best Federal Unity College will get a bus, while other awardees will receive laptops.
For the first time, the selection process was digitised in line with African Union guidelines to ensure transparency and accountability.
The national sub-theme is “Transforming the Teaching Profession for Africa’s Future,” focusing on five pillars: innovation, mobility, artificial intelligence, inclusion and professional excellence.
The celebration comes amid UNESCO’s warning that 44 million additional teachers will be needed by 2030 to achieve universal primary and secondary education.
