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The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) has launched the Norm Goble World Teachers’ Day Award. Only organisations with whom CTF has a current or recent (past five years) partnership are eligible to apply and earn C$1,000 to carry out its proposed World Teachers’ Day (WTD) activities.

Dr. Norman Goble, better known as Norm, served as CTF Secretary General for 12 years, from 1970-1982, and was the Secretary General of the World Confederation of Organisations of the Teaching Profession from 1982-1988.

Influential figure

Goble made many contributions to education in Canada and throughout the developing world. He is rightly credited for his work in the initiation of WTD, which arose through CTF and EI lobbying activities. In 1994, UNESCO inaugurated WTD to focus attention on the contributions and achievements of teachers, and to highlight teachers’ concerns and priorities regarding education.

The date, 5 October, was selected to internationally celebrate teachers because, on that date in 1966, a special intergovernmental conference adopted the UNESCO recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. Goble was a delegate at that seminal meeting. For the first time, this recommendation gave teachers throughout the world an instrument that defines their responsibilities and asserts their rights. In adopting this recommendation, governments unanimously recognised the importance for society to have competent, qualified, and motivated teachers.

Award’s criteria

Applications will be evaluated based upon the degree to which the WTD event:

• Aims to highlight teachers as professionals and celebrate the teaching profession
• Will relate to the WTD specific theme
• Engages teachers and students and/or appeals to the public
• Advocates for quality equitable education for all
• Follows environmentally sustainable practices
• Shows potential for longer term benefit to the teacher organisation or education sector in general
• Is effectively planned

Interested and eligible organisations are invited to complete the attached application form, in full, and return it via email by 30 June to the Norm Goble WTD Award Selection committee care of: [email protected] with the following subject line: Application for Norm Goble WTD Award.

EI: Support and promote this award

“EI commends CTF for launching this annual award and invites affiliates to support and promote it,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen.

“This year, shortly before WTD, EI and its affiliates will end their one-year campaign, Unite for Quality Education, and hold culmination events for this campaign the world over,” he said.