World Teachers Day celebrates high quality teaching and learning

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa says World Teachers Day (Oct 29) was a time to celebrate and value New Zealand’s high quality education system.

World Teachers Day was established by UNESCO and is marked in over 100 countries around the world each year.  

A recently-released international prosperity index says New Zealand has the highest level of education of the 110 countries measured.  New Zealand’s educational achievement is also consistently among the best in the OECD with our countries primary students achieving near the top in mathematics and reading.

NZEI represents thousands of teachers in primary and intermediate schools, kindergartens and early childhood centres throughout the country.  

NZEI President Frances Nelson says the government may like to create the perception that there is a crisis in education, but the reality is there is a lot to be proud of.

To mark World Teachers Day, schools, kindergartens as well as ECE’s around the country will be holding celebrations throughout the day.

“The richness and quality of the education our children receive is the envy of other countries. There is fantastic teaching and learning going on in New Zealand classrooms and ECE’s every day and World Teachers Day was a good time to stop and remember that,” she says.