What is International Teachers' Day?

Emphasing on the importance of teachers in our society, more than 100 nations across the globe are celebrating the World Teachers Day or International Teachers' Day today, October 5, 2018.

If we turn the pages of History then we will find that the first World Teachers' Day was observed on October 5, 1994. Since then it has been celebrated anually across the world.

Why October 5 is celebrated as International Teachers' Day?
International Teachers' Day has an interesting history. It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/ UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. On October 5, 1966, the 'Teaching in Freedom' pact at a special intergovernmental conference convened in Paris. The pact focused on rights and responsibilities of teachers, recruitment, employment, teaching and learning conditions.
However, a theme is chosen by the UNESCO to mark the day.

This year's theme: 'The right to education means the right to a qualified teacher'

Last year's theme: 'Engaging Teachers'

Goals of universal primary and secondary education
In a bid to bridge the gap between student and teacher ratio, the world needs to hire close to 69 million new teachers to fulfil education goals of universal primary and secondary education. As per the UN, the gaols should be achieved by 2030.