05 October 2025
Theme: Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession
On October 5 the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (joins the world in
celebrating World Teachers’ Day. SADTU honours not only the teachers of today but the
generations of educators and knowledge keepers who came before us. From the fireside
storytellers who carried wisdom through oral tradition, to the freedom fighters who taught
under trees and in secret classrooms Our profession has always been rooted in collective
struggle, shared purpose, and ancestral legacy.
Today, as the world gathers under the theme Recasting teaching as a collaborative
profession, we affirm that teaching has never been a solitary act. It is a heritage of
togetherness, a covenant between teacher and student, community, and society past and
future.
First celebrated in 1994, this day was established by UNESCO and Education International
(EI) to recognise and celebrate the role teachers play in providing education and shaping society. It also serves to highlight the challenges teachers face, advocates for their rights
and promote the ILO/UNESCO Recommendations Concerning the Status of Teachers.
Teaching has never been a solo act, but it is a sacred inheritance passed from generation to
generation. On this World Teachers Day, we honour our ancestors who taught in struggle
and solidarity, and we call for a future where every teacher thrives through collaboration.
From the fireside to the classroom, teaching is a collective endeavour. Today s educators
must be supported by systems that value teamwork, shared wisdom, and sustained public
investment.
Let us recast teaching as a profession of unity, dignity, and transformation. Because when teachers stand together, societies rise together.
As we celebrate this day and honour teachers, we note with concern a recent study by the
Stellenbosch University which found that half of South Africa’s teachers are contemplating
abandoning the profession because of the unbearable conditions under which they work.
They are overwhelmed by too many administrative tasks, overcrowded classrooms,
inadequate mental health support, threats of violence from the learners and increasing ill
discipline among learners.
We commend them for their resilience and dedication despite these challenges and urge
them not to give up. As a Union, we remain committed to fighting for the improvement of
their working conditions and ensuring they have a voice in shaping the profession.
We call on government to ensure adequate funding for school infrastructure and to employ
more teachers to eliminate overcrowded classrooms; employers to provide psychosocial
support to protects teachers’ mental wellbeing, and parents, communities, and learners to
play their part in creating safe and conducive environments for teachers to do their work.
Further, there is a need for a thorough engagement with institutions of higher learning on
the development of teachers and on the kind of a teacher we need from these institutions.
When all stakeholders, “collaborate to support teachers, teaching and learning will thrive
ensuring a brighter future for our nation. We call for this unity because the future dep ends
on educated learners, and teachers are the key drivers of education.We
further urge teachers to uphold the dignity of this noble profession by conducting
themselves in a manner that commands respect. Despite the challenges, we call on them to
continue being in class, on time, prepared, teaching, respecting the dignity of all learners
and refrain from having sexual relations with learners.
ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat