Advancement of education tied to elevation of teaching profession, say experts

AMMAN — Advancing education must begin with developing teachers’ skills, along with enhancing their financial and social situations, according to experts. 

On World Teachers’ Day, which falls annually on October 5, teachers in Jordan and around the globe are celebrated for their contributions to society.

The theme for this year’s World Teachers’ Day is “The transformation of education begins with teachers”, according to UNESCO website. 

“This is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education, but also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and skills, and to rethink the way ahead for their professional development,” Gladis Baho, a teaching consultant, told The Jordan Times.

“We need to reconsider teaching as a profession. We also need to do more to encourage teachers to remain in the education sector,” she added. 

The first step to be taken is to address and analyse the challenges that teachers face in Jordan, according to the consultant. 

“In Jordan, we suffer from inadequate teacher preparation,” she stated, adding that teachers also suffer from lack of appreciation from school management and from parents. “Most importantly, they have unsatisfying working conditions.” 

There’s an urgent need to “make the teaching profession attractive”, according to the consultant. 

Baho added that Jordan needs to involve teachers in the process of determining educational methodology. She continued by saying that the country must reconsider how teachers are trained and prepared in order to improve their chances of growth, maximise their achievements and develop their career paths.

“All of this can be possible, provided that they are given financial and moral incentives to maintain their development,” she noted.

“Reforming and developing the educational process starts with training teachers and arming teachers with skills,” Baho added. 

She stated that equipping teachers with the necessary skills will benefit students and the whole education process’s outcomes.

“Offering training courses to teachers to help them develop their skills, for example classroom management skills, behaviour management skills, and conflict-resolution skills with regards to difficult parents is of paramount importance,” said Baho.  

Enhancing school infrastructure and providing teachers with the necessary educational technology, tools, and materials is something the sector desperately needs, she added. 

“Teachers mould future generations; therefore, we need to recognise the critical importance of reaffirming the value of the teaching mission,” Rasha Rizeq, a veteran teacher, told The Jordan Times. 

She added that teachers play a critical role in transforming students’ potential. 

“We need to ensure that they have the tools they need to take responsibility for themselves and for others,” the teacher said. 

Rizeq noted that teachers around the world strive to ensure that inclusive, equitable, and quality education becomes a reality for all students on a daily basis. 

“Teachers go above and beyond to encourage students, because they can see their potential,” she added.