UNESCO/ILO recommendations on status of teachers

This year marks its 50th anniversary and is cause for celebration.

This is a document that outlines international standards for the teaching profession and covers all school-level teachers from the pre-primary through the secondary level in all institutions whether public or private, whether providing academic, technical vocational or art education.

It covers virtually all aspects of the teaching profession and sets international standards for the range of issues including professional, social, ethical and material. Indeed, the TT Unified Teachers Association used these standards to develop its Code of Ethics which was adopted back in 1989.

In a broad sense the recommendation gives teachers a working definition of their rights and responsibilities, as well as guidelines for engaging in dialogue between educational authorities and teachers and their associations.

It forms an international frame of reference for many education topics such as professional development, class size, work load and maternity leave. It also serves as a basis for the formulation and development of national laws and practices concerning teachers.

Unfortunately, being a recommendation and not a convention, it is not subject to national ratification nor does it have national signatories. However, all member states of the ILO and UNESCO are obliged to be familiar with its provisions and have been invited by the ILO and UNESCO to apply it to their respective countries.

While it may not be legally binding, the joint ILO/UNESCO Committee of Experts on the Application of the Recommendation concerning Teachers (CEART) monitors and promotes its application and advises the ILO and UNESCO on better ways to promote knowledge and use of the standard in member states. Its active implementation is also promoted through a system of sub-regional seminars where representatives of government, labour and employers arrive by consensus (social dialogue) at strategies for concrete action to improve the condition of teachers. The ILO and UNESCO also actively engage in case and statistical studies as well as provide technical advice to educational authorities and teacher organisations.

Such advice has been extremely valuable to unions and governments over the years and has greatly assisted in education policy formulation and implementation both nationally and internationally.

Among the recommendations is the critical issue of professionalism.

It clearly states that teaching should be regarded as a profession – a form of public service which requires teachers to acquire expert knowledge and skills through rigorous and continuing study.

It also calls upon teachers to display a sense of corporate responsibility for the education and welfare of the pupils in their charge.

While some of the more developed countries have made great strides in treating teachers as true professionals, unfortunately this is not the case in the majority of member units of the ILO and UNESCO.

It also goes on to indicate that the teaching profession should enjoy academic freedom in the discharge of professional duties.

They should also be give the essential role in the choice and adaptation of teaching material, the selection of textbooks and the application of teaching methods within the framework of approved programmes and with the assistance of the educational authorities.

In other words, teachers are best qualified to determine the teaching aids and methods most suitable for their pupils. Professional standards relating to teacher performance should also be defined and maintained with the participation of teacher organisations. It further states that teacher salaries should also reflect the importance to society of the teaching functions and hence the importance of teachers as well as the responsibilities which fall upon them.