Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London
World Teachers’ Day 2025: Honoring Educators Amid Tigray’s Education Struggle
As the world celebrates “World Teachers’ Day 2025*, under the theme “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession”, educators in Ethiopia’s war-affected Tigray region continue to face enormous challenges in restoring education and hope.
World Teachers’ Day, first observed in 1994, commemorates the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers. It recognizes the essential role teachers play in shaping society. This year’s theme highlights the importance of collaboration in strengthening teaching as a profession.
Teaching Through the Ruins
In Tigray, the conflict disrupted daily life and severely damaged education infrastructure. Thousands of schools were destroyed, looted, or rendered unusable. Many teachers and students were displaced, leaving classrooms empty and communities without formal learning.
- According to the Tigray Education Bureau and UNICEF, more than 1.2 million school-aged children remain out of school.
- Around 85 percent of schools in the region sustained some level of damage. Many facilities are still being used as shelters for displaced families.
“Our schools are still standing, but most of them are empty or damaged,” said an education officer in central Tigray. “Teachers are trying their best, sometimes using open fields or flat stones as blackboards, but they need proper support.”
A Generation at Risk
The disruption goes beyond damaged buildings:
- Many children have missed years of schooling.
- Some have been forced into child labor or early marriage.
- Others face trauma and malnutrition, affecting their ability to learn.
Humanitarian agencies warn that prolonged absence from school could create a “lost generation”, with long-term social and economic consequences.
“When education stops, everything else breaks down,” said a representative from a local NGO supporting school rehabilitation. “Children who lose years of learning risk being permanently left behind.”
**Rebuilding Hope
Following the Pretoria peace agreement, efforts to restore education have begun:
- Schools are being repaired and classrooms equipped with learning materials.
- Teachers are returning to their posts, often in challenging conditions.
- NGOs and international organizations, including UNICEF, have launched temporary learning programs and psychosocial support for children.
However, progress remains uneven. Many schools still lack basic supplies, sanitation, and functional classrooms, while displaced families struggle to re-enroll children.
Honoring Teachers’ Sacrifice
On World Teachers’ Day, communities are recognizing the courage and dedication of educators working under extraordinary conditions.
“These teachers are not just educators — they are peacebuilders and nation builders,” said Horn News Hub in a statement. “Their work in classrooms, open fields, and temporary shelters is helping to rebuild minds and restore hope.”
The 2025 theme — “Collaboration is key to making teachers thrive” — underscores the need for cooperation between government, communities, and humanitarian organizations to rebuild education in Tigray.
A Call to Action
Education advocates stress that rebuilding schools must be a priority for Tigray’s reconstruction:
- Reopen schools and repair damaged facilities.
- Train and support teachers with adequate resources and pay.
- Provide mental health and psychosocial support for students.
- Ensure access for displaced children and flexible learning options.
“Let us remember that we are all the products of teachers who shaped us,” Horn News Hub added. “Supporting Tigray’s educators today means investing in the competent generations of tomorrow.”
