Celebrating World Teachers Day

What is World Teachers day?

In 1966 the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers was adopted which sets out benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.

The Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education, and the dedicated target (SDG 4.c) recognized teachers as key to the achievement of the Education 2030 agenda. World Teachers Day has become the occasion to mark progress and reflect on ways to counter the remaining challenges for the promotion of the teaching profession.

World Teachers Day is celebrated on the 5th October every year and is brought to you in partnership with UNICEF, the International Labour Organization and Education International.

Here is a short video explaining more about what World Teachers Day is:

Why it’s important to us


The Steve Sinnott Foundation has been committed to developing and supporting teachers from the start.


Our very first project was building schools in Nepal’s Palpa District with Manisha UK, and since then we have enabled Manisha Nepal to develop an annual teacher training programme tailored to the needs of the schools and region. The programme offers continued support throughout the school year via the placement of volunteer senior teachers and Newly Qualified Teachers.


We have delivered programmes hosting groups of teachers from Sierra Leone in the UK for teacher training and professional development. We worked with EducAid so that the teachers have then been able to deliver the same programmes to their colleagues in Sierra Leone.


We have opened Learning Resource Centres in Haiti, Nepal and we are currently opening one in The Gambia later this year. These centres provide teaching and learning resources to support the local teachers, online and remote learning facilities, offer support and sharing of learning and expertise. They provide access to a global support structure where practical knowledge can be pooled, challenges can be discussed and solutions can be shared.


Working with teachers in Ghana, we supported the development of the ‘A Big Book’ project – a partnership between the Ghana Education Service, and the UK based Educators International. This project provided, in Ghana’s Northern Region, bilingual early-grade reading materials developed by Ghanaian teachers. We are continuing working in partnership with Cuban and Haitian teachers to develop and disseminate a literacy programme in Haitian Kreyòl in Haiti.


Our Chief Executive, Ann Beatty is the UNESCO ASPnet co-ordinator for the UK and through this network of over 11,000 schools worldwide we are continuing to promote global learning and access to Education For All. Being part of this community allows the Foundation to encourage children to learn about and understand different cultures; promote critical thinking, teach campaigning skills and help them to get actively involved in working to extend the benefits of education to everybody.


World Teachers Day is an opportunity for communities to celebrate and support how the work of teachers is changing the world for the better. 



How will you celebrate World Teachers Day?


The theme for the 2020 World Teachers Day is “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future”. For us this highlights an essential point about the role of teachers in the world and why we are working to support them.


Right now, we are supporting teachers in The Gambia through our project with the Gambia Teachers Union to deliver solar radios to students throughout the rural areas. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, lessons are being broadcast through radio, but many children lack access to radios and have limited access to power. By delivering solar powered radios we have enabled over 3,800 children and teachers to access education in The Gambia during the pandemic so far.  


We are about to start our new Positive Periods campaign. This has been the result of 2 years of pilot research and will enable teachers to learn about periods and how to make reusable sanitary pads so that they can teach students in their schools as well as community members about managing periods so that girls can continue to go to school and not miss up to a quarter of their education because they lack any means of managing periods and the stigma attached to them.


We are delighted to be able to share a wonderful poem composed and read by one of our ambassadors Sovel Cunningham of Quiet Mind Poetry which you can see below. This poem transports us back to our first day at school, and invites us to think about the changes we go through from year to year. More of Sovels work can be found here https://www.justbeingme.life/


Please leave a comment below to tell us what you are doing to celebrate World Teachers Day on the 5th October 2020.


You can find out more about the day here: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldteachersday 

The Steve Sinnott Foundation • October 2, 2020

Empowering Student Voices: Young Ambassadors Champion Inclusive Education for All

By Ann Beatty • October 13, 2025
In our continued commitment to ensuring quality and inclusive education for every child, we’ve taken our advocacy to a new level by empowering the next generation to lead the conversation. In partnership with The Gambia Teachers Union, we recently convened the Foundation’s Young Ambassadors for a vibrant day of engagement dedicated to promoting the right to education for all. The event brought together passionate students from selected senior secondary schools across Region One, including St. John’s School for the Deaf, to explore what it truly means to make education inclusive, equitable, and accessible to every learner. 

Seeds of Hope 2025: Young People Planting Peace and Sustainability Around the World

By Ann Beatty • October 3, 2025
The Steve Sinnott Foundation is proud to celebrate the inspirational winners of the 2025 Seeds of Hope for a Better Future competition, a global initiative supported by UNESCO that brings together creativity, community, and a shared commitment to peace and sustainability. This unique project invited schools across the world from nursery and primary through to secondary and high school to explore the values of peace, cultural understanding, and care for the planet. In the face of climate change, young people were asked to tell their stories through art, performance, and digital creativity, highlighting how small seeds of action can grow into powerful movements for hope. The results have been extraordinary. Schools in France, the UK, Gambia, Haiti, and Kenya have been recognised for their outstanding contributions, with projects ranging from community gardens and sculptures to dance performances and illustrated stories. Each winner has shown how young voices and imagination can nurture peace and sustainability in ways that inspire us all. The full Awards Ceremony can be watched linked here: S eeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025 Highlights from the Winners Oak View Primary and Nursery School (UK) created Faces of Feeling, a collection of joyful sculptures already exhibited in a local gallery. Judges praised their work as supporting the wellbeing of others and embodying the idea of children as true “Seeds of Hope.” St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School (Gambia) painted Campaign for a Sustainable Banjul , reflecting real-world climate action in their city. The judges described it as “a most deserving and robust winner.” In France , the Jardin d'Enfants des Nations Unies (United Nations Nursery School) won hearts with Wind of Peace , where 5-6 year olds combined drawings, paintings, and tree planting to champion reforestation. Lyng Hall Secondary School, Coventry (UK) collaborated with Henley Green Primary and the UK Literacy Association to produce The Heart Shaped Hole – an innovative and metaphorical take on Seeds of Hope. Earlsdon Primary School, Coventry (UK) impressed with Primary Plot , a project that included gardening with the visually impaired, reflecting inclusivity and sustainability. A remarkable cross-collaboration between 21 schools across West Yorkshire, Essex, and Tower Hamlets (UK) resulted in Lights, Camera, Score , an ambitious combination of animation, music, and storytelling. CIMA Community School of Hope, Haiti shared Konbit - a video of dance and solidarity, inspiring villages to work together for peace and dignity. Daraja Academy, Kenya presented an ambitious and optimistic project integrating sustainability into everyday school life. Celebrating Creativity and Peace This year’s competition was judged by an impressive panel of artists, writers, and cultural leaders including Sir Antony Gormley, Edmund de Waal, Dame Liz Forgan, Hugh Quarshie, and Rathna Ramanathan. Their collective expertise highlighted the quality and depth of the entries, each of which showed how art can be a powerful tool for global understanding and change. The Seeds of Hope initiative is part of UNESCO UK’s Arts and Culture for Peace programme, first launched in 2022. It has grown from earlier collaborations such as the Coventry Young Ambassadors’ Islands of Peace Japanese Garden , opened in 2021 a living reminder that seeds planted in communities can continue to flourish. Highlights from the ceremony can be found here at this playlist Looking Ahead As Ann Beatty, UNESCO ASPnet UK National Coordinator , shared: “The quality of entries was extraordinary. We are delighted at the response to this amazing initiative in collaboration with our international partners.” And in the words of judge Jannette Cheong : “Young people around the world understand well the value of peace and tolerant relationships between cultures. Their creativity is an inspiration to all of us.” At The Steve Sinnott Foundation, we believe that education is the seed from which hope grows. The Seeds of Hope competition is a shining example of how young people through creativity, compassion, and collaboration are already shaping a more peaceful and sustainable future. You can access the full online awards presentation here: Seeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025

Teachers Advance in Guidance and Counselling Training in The Gambia

By Ann Beatty • August 18, 2025
The journey to strengthen the well-being and success of learners in The Gambia continues with a renewed commitment to guidance and counselling in schools. By August 14th 2025, we have successfully trained 140 educators across 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑 & 𝟒 under our Guidance & Counselling Programme. A programme designed to equip educators with the skills to support students’ academic, social, and emotional development. Region 3 Teachers Complete Level 2 Training On Wednesday, 6th August, thirty teachers from Region 3 (North Bank Region) began a three-day Level 2 Guidance and Counselling training at the Christian Council in Kanifing. This programme built on their earlier Level 1 training in Farafenni, with a focus on deepening their capacity to serve as school-based counsellors. The training concluded with a certificate presentation ceremony, recognising the teachers’ commitment and marking an important step in their professional development. These certificates symbolize more than an achievement; they represent each teacher’s readiness to provide psychosocial support, guidance, and mentorship to learners across their schools.