An online discussion will be held on 1 October to mark World Teachers’ Day 2024, co-organised by NORRAG and the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies. This 60-minute interactive event will explore UNESCO’s Global Report on Teachers, addressing the issue of teacher shortages in emergency settings. With increasing conflict, displacement, and climate-related crises, the discussion will focus on whether teachers are being prioritised, the challenges that arise, and potential solutions.

Experts from various organisations will present insights from their research and programs, examining the policies, politics, and practices influencing teachers' work and education outcomes in emergencies.

Key speakers:

• Carlos Vargas Tamez, Head of the Secretariat, International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030
• Danni Falk, Senior Researcher, ERICC / International Rescue Committee
• Nina Papadopoulos, Senior Advisor, UNHCR

Facilitators:

• Petra Heusser, Executive Director, Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies
• Chris Henderson, Education in Emergencies Specialist, NORRAG
   

To register your participation, click here.

Teachers play a key role in ensuring students thrive and succeed in their learning journeys. However, a global teacher shortage poses a significant threat to the quality of education, with millions of children unable to acquire event basic skills. While teaching remains one of the most rewarding professions, currently challenges seem to be pushing qualified educators out of classrooms and discouraging young people from entering the teaching profession.

The International Task Force on Teachers, in collaboration with UNESCO and ILO, recently released the first Global Report on Teachers, addressing the critical issues that need to be tackled to reverse this worrying trend. Additionally, the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession published key recommendations to strengthen the profession.

We invite you to join us for a webinar hosted by Norad, where these pivotal reports will be presented, followed by insights from the President of the Union of Education Norway.

Tentative program:

• 13:00 Presentation of the Global Teacher Report. - Carlos Vargas, Head of the Teacher Section, UNESCO
• 13:30 Presentation of the report from the UNSG’s High Level Panel on the Teaching Profession. - Oliver Liang, Head of the Public and Private Services Unit, ILO
• 14:00 Reflection on the findings of the reports. - Geir Røsvoll, President, Union of Education Norway
• 14:15 Questions and answers
• 14:55 Key take-aways - Thomas Poulsen, Head of Education and Research, Norad

The session will be moderated by Gerd-Hanne Fosen, Education Policy Director, Norad

Click here to register for the webinar.

Related links:

• Global Report on Teachers
• Recommendations of the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession

Teachers play a key role in ensuring students thrive and succeed in their learning journeys. However, a global teacher shortage poses a significant threat to the quality of education, with millions of children unable to acquire event basic skills. While teaching remains one of the most rewarding professions, currently challenges seem to be pushing qualified educators out of classrooms and discouraging young people from entering the teaching profession.

The International Task Force on Teachers, in collaboration with UNESCO and ILO, recently released the first Global Report on Teachers, addressing the critical issues that need to be tackled to reverse this worrying trend. Additionally, the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession published key recommendations to strengthen the profession.

We invite you to join us for a webinar hosted by Norad, where these pivotal reports will be presented, followed by insights from the President of the Union of Education Norway.

Tentative program:

• 13:00 Presentation of the Global Teacher Report. - Carlos Vargas, Head of the Teacher Section, UNESCO
• 13:30 Presentation of the report from the UNSG’s High Level Panel on the Teaching Profession. - Oliver Liang, Head of the Public and Private Services Unit, ILO
• 14:00 Reflection on the findings of the reports. - Geir Røsvoll, President, Union of Education Norway
• 14:15 Questions and answers
• 14:55 Key take-aways - Thomas Poulsen, Head of Education and Research, Norad

The session will be moderated by Gerd-Hanne Fosen, Education Policy Director, Norad

Click here to register for the webinar.

Related links:

• Global Report on Teachers
• Recommendations of the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession

A virtual discussion on Social Dialogues for Teachers: Amplifying the voice of the teacher to inform and achieve quality educational reforms in Africa will be to be held on Thursday, 22nd August 2024, from 3:00– 5:00 p.m. East Africa Time (UTC +3); see below for your calculated time zone.

The webinar is being jointly organized by the GPE KIX Africa 19 Hub, the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA), and the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA).

This webinar is the third in a current series on teachers’ empowerment in Africa and follows the first webinar on The influence of school leadership and governance on teachers’ mental health and wellbeing in Africa (see recording here) and the second webinar on Quality assurance in teacher education in sub-Saharan Africa: Enhancing the quality of teacher training programs for a competent teaching workforce in Africa (see recording here). 

The webinar is intended to be of interest to ministries of education, local education groups, teacher councils and unions, teacher colleagues, teaching communities of practices, AUC Teacher Cluster members, pre-service and in-service teachers, and all those who are interested in supporting teachers and strengthening the teaching profession in Africa.

For more information on the webinar please click here.

To register please click here. The passcode to join is 890045.

Image credit: UNESCO/Kilayé Bationo

On 26 September 2024, UNESCO will host the ESD-Net 2030 Learning Webinar on Learning, Teaching, and Assessment for ESD Competencies. This virtual session will focus on how educators can effectively integrate ESD competencies into teaching practices, learning outcomes, and assessment methods. 

The webinar will explore innovative pedagogical approaches and assessment strategies that support the development of sustainability competencies in education. Key topics will include:

• Integration of ESD competencies into learning content and pedagogy
• Methods for assessing sustainability competencies
• Challenges and opportunities in teaching and learning for sustainable development

Participants will learn from case studies and examples of good practices from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, with a focus on holistic education that empowers learners to make informed decisions for sustainable futures.

Interpretation will be available in English and Russian.

Further details and registration can be found at this link.

Image credit: Cat Act Art/Shutterstock.com

On 26 September 2024, UNESCO will host the ESD-Net 2030 Learning Webinar on Learning, Teaching, and Assessment for ESD Competencies. This virtual session will focus on how educators can effectively integrate ESD competencies into teaching practices, learning outcomes, and assessment methods. 

The webinar will explore innovative pedagogical approaches and assessment strategies that support the development of sustainability competencies in education. Key topics will include:

• Integration of ESD competencies into learning content and pedagogy
• Methods for assessing sustainability competencies
• Challenges and opportunities in teaching and learning for sustainable development

Participants will learn from case studies and examples of good practices from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, with a focus on holistic education that empowers learners to make informed decisions for sustainable futures.

Interpretation will be available in English and Russian.

Further details and registration can be found at this link.

Image credit: Cat Act Art/Shutterstock.com

The webinar "How to Support Educators and Education Systems’ Capacities in Non-Formal Education?" will take place on 10 September 2024 as part of the UNESCO-UNFCCC Webinar Series on Climate Change Education for Social Transformation.

This session, the fourth in the third season, focuses on Greening Teacher Training and Education Systems’ Capacities in preparation for COP29.

The webinar will explore the challenges and solutions specific to teachers in non-formal climate change education, focusing on the needs and gaps they face. An interactive panel discussion will address two key questions:

• What are the needs and gaps for educators teaching climate change in non-formal education?
• How can these needs and gaps be effectively addressed?

The discussion will feature insights from teachers, educators, young people, and policymakers, with interpretation available in English, French and Spanish.

Registration and further details can be found at this link.

Image credit: Dian Muliana/Shutterstock.com

Coinciding with the DOAC and the mid-point in 2024 AU Year of Education, this #BorntoLearn event aims to put support for teachers at the top of the continental agenda.

• Date: 14 June 2024
• Time: 3:30 pm - 4:20 pm CEST
• Type: Virtual

Click here to register.

One in five primary school-age children in sub-Saharan Africa are out of school; their number is nearly as high as it was in 1990. Only two in three children in the region complete primary school by age 15. Among those who do, only 3 in 10 achieve the minimum proficiency level in reading, meaning that barely one in five children do so overall. 

Highlighting the need for alignment across countries’ vision on foundational literacy and numeracy with curriculum development, textbook provision, pedagogy and assessment practices, the 2024 Spotlight Report underscores the importance of teachers to bring the change we design on paper to children in the classroom. It shows the need for better teacher support, who have a wish list of ‘if only I had more…’ that goes unanswered by leaders still expecting to see change in learning on the ground. This campaign will help clear the list! 

Timed to coincide with the Day of the African Child and marking the mid-point in 2024 AU Year of Education, this online #BorntoLearn event aims to put support for teachers at the top of the continental agenda and highlight the importance of foundational learning to enable all children to reach their full potential and participate in society.

The event aims to: 

1. Highlight the importance of ensuring every child has access to foundational learning across Africa 
2. Spark a conversation on the way that leaders and stakeholders can better support teachers to teach national curriculum in the classroom and overcome existing challenges
3. Provide a platform for teachers and youth representatives to share knowledge and experience in advocating for promoting foundational numeracy, address challenges and celebrate successes
4. Highlight the Spotlight Report and its recommendations on children’s numeracy as a key tool for governments across the continent working to improve foundational learning

Featured speakers: 

• Alice Mukashyaka, Youth representative, African Union
• Dennis Sinyolo, Director, Education International's Africa Regional Office
• Lindiwe Tshuma, Faculty of Humanities Teaching and Learning Unit, University of Witwatersand, Johannesburg 
• Gamusi Tom, Teacher, Uganda
• Lyson Chikunduzi, VVOB Zambia
• Primary Teacher, South Africa 
• Josephine Kiyenje, Spotlight Report Lead, GEM Report, UNESCO 

Resources

• Learning Counts - 2024 Spotlight Report
• Learning Wish List - #BorntoLearn campaign
• Official event webpage

UNESCO and Plan International are pleased to invite you to the international webinar Every learner matters: Disability inclusion and gender equality in education that will take place on Monday 4 December 2023, from 13:00 to 14:30 (CET), on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December). 

One of the purposes of this webinar will be to identify challenges and recommendations to be addressed at different levels, including by governments, teachers and families.

The commitment of eliminating barriers to education and creating accessible and inclusive learning environments, as marked in the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development, is essential to leave no learner behind.  

While progress has been made, the inclusion of learners with disabilities in education demands going beyond access and providing adequate infrastructure: it is also a matter of assuring their participation, learning progression and attainment, and creating safe and inclusive learning environments.  

To ensure that the right to education is fully guaranteed, we must understand and tackle the roots of exclusion and discrimination. Gender inequality is a compounding factor of exclusion of learners with disabilities. For this, education systems must be disability inclusive as well as gender transformative.  

The theme of this year’s webinar focuses on disability and gender inequality as intersecting challenges to education. It will also address key topics as comprehensive sexuality education, bullying and violence, school health and nutrition. Examples of good practices from different regions of the world will be presented by a wide range of experts and stakeholders. 

The event will take place through the Zoom platform and will be available in English, French and Spanish with International Sign Language interpretation. Automatic closed captions will be provided through Zoom. 

To join the webinar on Zoom, please register in advance.  

UNESCO and Plan International are pleased to invite you to the international webinar Every learner matters: Disability inclusion and gender equality in education that will take place on Monday 4 December 2023, from 13:00 to 14:30 (CET), on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December). 

One of the purposes of this webinar will be to identify challenges and recommendations to be addressed at different levels, including by governments, teachers and families.

The commitment of eliminating barriers to education and creating accessible and inclusive learning environments, as marked in the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development, is essential to leave no learner behind.  

While progress has been made, the inclusion of learners with disabilities in education demands going beyond access and providing adequate infrastructure: it is also a matter of assuring their participation, learning progression and attainment, and creating safe and inclusive learning environments.  

To ensure that the right to education is fully guaranteed, we must understand and tackle the roots of exclusion and discrimination. Gender inequality is a compounding factor of exclusion of learners with disabilities. For this, education systems must be disability inclusive as well as gender transformative.  

The theme of this year’s webinar focuses on disability and gender inequality as intersecting challenges to education. It will also address key topics as comprehensive sexuality education, bullying and violence, school health and nutrition. Examples of good practices from different regions of the world will be presented by a wide range of experts and stakeholders. 

The event will take place through the Zoom platform and will be available in English, French and Spanish with International Sign Language interpretation. Automatic closed captions will be provided through Zoom. 

To join the webinar on Zoom, please register in advance.