World Teachers’ Day. A union led day of celebration, recognition and action
Each year we celebrate teachers on World Teachers’ Day (WTD) and whilst we had hoped to have an online zoom session with members this year, we are not surprised that your workloads made attendance levels unviable.
However, we did publish a video featuring our two newest employees, Emma (Industrial Officer) and Juliet (Organiser). Take a minute to watch their message and introduction below (or on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ydwRnCU–xQ )
We also produced a fun ‘word find/colour-in coffee mat’ and you can still download that here
Educators SA Awards 2025
Educators SA once again hosted the official state event for World Teachers Day in South Australia, with 68 educators receiving awards for their excellence, innovation and dedication to their students and communities.
IEU(SA) Branch Secretary Tim Oosterbaan attended and is pictured below with IEU(SA) Branch Executive Member Sheryl Hoffmann and Rianne Wright. Rianne received an award for over 30 years of voluntary service to the Laboratory Managers Association of SA.
From left: Rianne Wright, Tim Oosterbaan and Sheryl Hoffmann – Photo courtesy of Educators SA
Rianne has over 35 years of Laboratory Technician experience and currently works as the Senior Laboratory Manager at Immanuel Lutheran College.
Read more about the awards and see the photos from the event here: https://educators-sa.sa.edu.au/world-teachers-day-2025
Pulteney Grammar School IEU(SA) Sub-Branch celebrates WTD
‘Hats off’ to Pulteney Grammar School for celebrating WTD with their teachers, hats and fun signs. IEU(SA) Rep Jody Sadecki and IEU members at the school got in the spirit of things— not wasting the moment to remind the school that their hard work needs a raise! The school was a good sport as they supplied the signs.
In South Australia, WTD occurs on the last Friday of October so mark it in your 2026 calendar and be ready to celebrate!
IEUA reflects on WTD
Our federal IEU office reflects on the origins of World Teachers’ Day, as World Teachers’ Day has its origins in union led action promoting the teaching profession.
While the event has become a community wide day of recognition involving multiple stakeholders and supporting organisations, it’s important to note the union story and history that underpins the event.
Mission of World Teachers’ Day
The aims of World Teachers Day include:
- promoting teachers’ rights, dignity, and decision-making role, including improving working conditions, professional development and support
- raising awareness of other challenges faced by teachers, including inadequate funding and resources
- highlighting teachers’ role in supporting the universal right to education and development of student’s potential
- promoting international cooperation and partnerships in education including to achieve sustainable development goals
World Teachers Day: International origins and foundation
World Teachers’ Day was established by UNESCO in 1994 to commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers.
World Teachers’ Day is now co-convened in partnership with the International Labour Organization, UNICEF and Education International and is held globally on 5th October each year. Unfortunately, the international day falls in the October school holidays in Australia, so our day is held instead on 31 October each year.
Education International (EI) is the global body representing teacher unions. The IEU, along with the AEU and NTEU are active members of EI.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) recommendations sets out the rights and responsibilities of teachers, standards for initial preparation, further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.
The collective voice of teachers and our unions are the driving force behind WTD
World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the critical role that trade unions have played in promoting and protecting the profession. World Teachers’ Day would not exist without the support and action from individual teacher unions, the ILO and EI.
