Media Release
Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape

5 October, 2016

Great teachers are the reason why ordinary learners dream to do extraordinary things - World Teachers Day 2016.

Statement by Minister Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Education

Dr Forest E Witcraft, said that: "A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank ... but the world may be a better place because I made a difference in the life of a child."

So today, I join my colleagues in the WCED in celebrating teachers who make a difference every day in the life of a child.

The WCED is pleased to mark this day as we celebrate the important contribution that teachers are making in providing quality education in the province.

World Teachers Day represents a significant effort to raise awareness, understanding and appreciation for the vital contribution that teachers make to education and development across the world.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) selected 5^th October to celebrate the achievements of teachers and to highlight teachers' concerns and priorities regarding education. "Empowering teachers, building sustainable societies" is the World Teachers' Day slogan for 2016.

Achievement is often anonymous. Some of the greatest things on earth have been done or achieved by people who you have never heard of, quietly dedicating their lives to improving those of others. Our teachers are some of those people and we are very fortunate in the Western Cape to have many educators who continue to go selflessly beyond the call of duty to ensure that their learners receive the best quality education.

The role of a teacher in a child's life cannot be overemphasised. Teachers have learners in their care for hours every day. What they do, what they say and how they conduct themselves influences those children. That is a lot of power that they have in their hands.

Being a teacher requires much more than just delivering a quality curriculum for our learners. Many of our teachers have to face on-going challenges such as poverty, gang violence, abuse and crime. Often our teachers are not recognised for the important roles they play in our schools and the lives of our children. They also often have to stand in for parents, who do not all take their parenting responsibilities seriously.

The WCED puts great emphasis on acknowledging excellence and recognising teachers that inspire and motivate our children every day. We will celebrate excellence when we present the provincial Teacher of the Year Awards on 4^th November 2016.

The WCED is deeply committed to teacher development, as our most important resource in education. The department supports ongoing professional development throughout the year, via a wide range of programmes.

More than 380 teachers are spending their spring holiday attending courses and a conference at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute (CTLI), the WCED's in-service training centre in Kuils River,

They include nearly 300 teachers attending a Maths Solutions conference, and 88 teachers and school managers who are attending courses on school management and eLearning for maths in the Intermediate Phase (Grades 4 to 6).

Their presence reflects the commitment of teachers in the Western Cape to ongoing professional development and to ensuring that they provide the best possible education for children in our schools.

Education is fundamental in any society. As the Provincial Minister of Education, I am deeply appreciative of the service that our committed teachers render, and for the dedication and commitment that they have given to teaching and changing the lives of our learners.

The power is in their hands to improve our education outcomes and better the lives of our learners and communities in the Western Cape.

I hope they will always continue to have the passion, commitment and resilience that is required of a teacher. Together we can make a huge impact on our province and our country. Our teachers are, after all, the reason why ordinary learners dream to do extraordinary things.

To all our teachers - thank you for what you do.

Media enquiries:
Jessica Shelver
Spokesperson for the Minister of Education, Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape Education Department
Tel: 076 175 0663