• World Teachers’ Day 2025 highlights teaching as a collaborative profession
• AU hosts roundtable urging stronger teacher cooperation across Africa
• Events stress shared practices amid regional education system challenges

World Teachers’ Day 2025 was observed on Sunday, Oct. 5, under the theme “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession,” UNESCO announced.

Ahead of the celebration, the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa hosted a roundtable on Friday, Oct. 3, titled “De l’isolement à la force collective: repenser la profession enseignante à travers le prisme de la collaboration (From Isolation to Collective Strength: Rethinking the Teaching Profession Through Collaboration).”

The event brought together officials from African education ministries, teacher unions, international partners, and training institutions. Discussions focused on ways to strengthen cooperation among teachers, share experiences, and promote continuous professional development through professional networks and digital tools.

Across several African countries, the observance included workshops, conferences, and school activities that emphasized shared teaching practices, innovative approaches, and the central role of teachers in improving education systems.

The Addis Ababa roundtable called for stronger dialogue among teachers, trainers, and policymakers and for building structures that encourage sustained collaboration. The African Union reaffirmed its support for the teaching profession as part of its Agenda 2063 and continental education strategy.

UNESCO said the 2025 theme aligns with its ongoing efforts to foster professional cooperation in education. The organization believes that reframing teaching as a collaborative profession can enhance teacher quality, motivation, and resilience.

The theme is especially relevant in Sub-Saharan Africa, where countries continue to lag behind global averages at all education levels. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics’ World Education Statistics 2024 report, completion rates in the region stand at about 67% for primary education, 47% for lower secondary, and under 30% for upper secondary.

 Amid these challenges, this year’s World Teachers’ Day offered an opportunity to reflect on the value of the teaching profession and how collaboration can help improve learning outcomes across the continent.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou