Pre-School teachers are guiding lights, time to celebrate them
In the world of education, pre-school teachers hold a special place. You are the first to welcome young learners into the world of discovery, imagination, and growth. Every day, you guide curious minds, helping them build the foundation for a lifetime of learning.
Today, on World Teachers’ Day 2024, with the theme of “Recognizing Teachers’ Voices and Building a New Social Contract for Education,” we celebrate the essential role you play as a pre-school teacher and honour your unique voice in shaping the future of education.
Pre-school classrooms are where the magic begins. For many children, it is the first structured environment where they learn to interact with others, develop key social and emotional skills, and start their academic journey.
As a pre-school teacher, you are the architect of this magical space, ensuring that each child feels seen, heard, and valued. Through your care, patience, and creativity, you provide young learners with the tools they need to explore the world confidently and joyfully.
But your influence goes beyond play-based learning and early literacy. You are often the first to recognise a child’s unique needs, strengths, and potential. Your insight into their development is crucial, and your voice matters when it comes to designing educational programmes that meet these early learners where they are. This year’s World Teachers’ Day theme highlights the importance of listening to teachers like you—teachers who understand the needs of children in those formative years better than anyone.
Too often, the voices of early childhood educators go unheard in broader education discussions. Yet, you are the ones who lay the foundation upon which all future learning is built. This year’s theme calls for a new social contract for education—one that recognises the value of your voice in shaping policies, providing resources, and creating supportive environments for both teachers and students.
Imagine an education system where preschool teachers have a seat at the table when decisions are made about curricula, class sizes, and professional development. A system that listens to your insights on how children learn best, and one that values the work you do every day to nurture the whole child. This is the vision of the new social contract for education: one where teachers are not just implementers of policies, but partners in creating them.
As we celebrate you today, we also recognise the challenges you face as a pre-school teacher. The work you do requires immense energy, creativity, and dedication. It is emotionally and physically demanding, and yet, it is often undervalued. But the impact you have on the lives of your students is immeasurable. The care and attention you give to each child sets the stage for their future success in school and beyond.
On this day, World Teachers’ Day, let us commit to amplifying your voice and ensuring that you are equipped with the resources and support you need to thrive. Your role in early education is critical, and it is time that society fully recognises the profound influence you have on the next generation.
Thank you for being a guiding light in the lives of young learners. Your passion, patience, and perseverance make all the difference. Today, we celebrate you—not just for the incredible work you do in the classroom, but for the powerful voice you bring to the future of education.
The world needs to hear more from teachers like you, and as we work towards a new social contract for education, your voice will help shape a brighter, more inclusive future for all students.
Happy World Teachers’ Day! You are truly making the world a better place, one little learner at a time.
Esther Gad,
Program Assistant, Research & Evidence at Usawa Agenda