UAE initiatives to promote joining the teaching profession on A Call for Teachers Day

The U.A.E. gives extra care and attention to education and teachers, in the steps of the founder Sheikh “Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan” "mercy on his soul" who said that “to teach and educate people in itself is a great wealth we cherish, education is wealth and we are building the future on a scientific basis”. The leadership always supports and encourages UAE nationals to join the teaching profession, and has taken all the needed steps for teachers, to help to develop their abilities and performance and provide all the tools of modern technology needed. The "Abu Dhabi Education Council" recently implemented several initiatives to motivate students to attend Colleges of Education in the State, including excellent wages and scholarships.

These initiatives are in line with the (United Nations) call, through the theme “A Call for Teachers" celebrating the "World Teacher's day 2013", which falls on Monday, Oct. 5^th. The UNESCO celebrates this day along with the “International Labor Organization”, the “United Nations development program”, the “United Nations Children's Fund” (UNICEF) and the “Education International”.

This theme stands as a call for providing quality education, which brings hope, and holds the promise of better living conditions, and provides strong foundations of durable peace and sustainable development. This type of education provides enthusiastic and well trained teachers that have support and appreciation. The world is suffering from a severe shortage of professional, trained and well supported teachers; the challenge is not limited to the recruitment of sufficient numbers of teachers, but hiring qualified teachers. A large proportion of teachers worldwide lack training and suffer from low wages and declining prestige in society.

The UNESCO is focusing this year on the problem of the shortage of teachers, and the obstacles to improving the quality of education, and the role of teachers in preparing global citizens. According to UNESCO statistics, at the global level (5.24) million teachers need to be recruited to achieve universal primary education by the year 2015. Also the employment of (3.66) million teachers to replace teachers who are leaving their work. And the development of (1.58) million jobs, to be able to access (57) million children not attending school while they're in the age of enrolment in primary education, on the one hand, and on the other to focus on the performance of teachers and quality of education, according to the same statistical source (250) million children cannot read and write grade four although they are enrolled in school.