World Teachers' Day is celebrated around the world on the 5 October and commemorates the signing of the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the status of teachers.

To celebrate this day, UNESCO runs a campaign every year to help the world gain a better understanding of teachers and the impact they have on the development of students within society.

This year, World Teachers' Day will surround the theme entitled, 'Teachers: leading in crisis, reimagining the future'. With learning being an essential part of life and human development, teachers play an immensely valuable role in society. This is a wonderful chance to celebrate the profession on a global scale.

Undeniably, the Covid-19 pandemic played a significant challenge for teachers. As of Wednesday 25 March, St Margaret’s College had to shut down and key academic and school events were cancelled. A major global event with unprecedented effects, this lead to enormous pressure on teachers. Many had to adapt to new alternative ways of teaching and looking after their students. At home, parents had to become teachers, helping their children to learn whilst juggling work and many other priorities.

In this sense, Word Teachers' Day holds more importance than ever before. Together we can celebrate their huge value to children, teenagers and adults when the world is rapidly changing and largely unstable.

As in previous years, over the next few days all SMC students will receive special World Teachers' Day postcards to write messages to the teachers who most inspire them. It has become a tradition that is greatly treasured by the teachers and enjoyed by the girls.