THE UNIVERSITY is set to join the celebration of “World Teachers’ Day” on Oct. 5, which recognizes the “vocation, calling, [and] lifelong commitment” that is teaching, the Office of the Secretary General has announced.
In a circular dated Oct. 4, Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. called on Thomasians to express gratitude to educators “for inspiring them to be competent, committed, and compassionate.”
“In these challenging times, teachers, indeed, have emerged as beacons of resilience, adapting and innovating for their students and learners,” Coronel said.
Coronel also emphasized that Thomasian educators are both teachers and students of Christ, the “supreme Teacher.”
“Thomasian educators are magistri Christi—teachers of Christ, teachers who belong to Christ, teachers who are deeply influenced by Christ. They are sent off by Christ [on] a mission,” the circular read. “Therefore, true magistri Christi are fundamentally discipuli Christi (students of Christ), for they learn from the supreme Teacher Himself.”
A Mass at the UST Chapel will be offered on Oct. 5 at 7:30 a.m. It will be presided over by Fr. Paul Talavera, O.P., parish priest of the Santísimo Rosario Parish.
In a separate statement, the World Union of Catholic Teachers (WUTC) called on international and national communities to appreciate the work and contributions of teachers to society.
“The generous, daily, and qualified commitment of teachers is not always recognized. Even financially, their valuable educational service is not adequately appreciated,” the WUTC statement read.
“Being recognized and appreciated by society and the community in which they work is a continuous spur to the improvement of their human and professional quality,” it said.
The union also emphasized that giving teachers adequate training and international opportunities could help improve the profession’s status.
“A society that takes care of teachers, supports them, appreciates and values them, has at heart the education of children and young people and the future of a better world,” it said.
World Teachers’ Day 2023 has the theme “Empowering Educators: Strengthening Resilience, Building Sustainability.”
It will mark the end of National Teachers’ Month, which began on Sept. 5.
World Teachers’ Day is held annually to commemorate the 1966 adoption of the International Labor Organization-Unesco’s “Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers,” which outlined the rights and responsibilities of educators.
