Education is much more than a matter of imparting the knowledge and skills by which narrow goals are achieved. It is also about opening the child’s eyes to the needs and rights of others.

― Dalai Lama

World Teachers' Day is commemorated every year on October 5 to celebrate the invaluable contributions that teachers make to education and development. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a testament to teachers’ ability to adapt and innovate even under the toughest circumstances for the benefit of their students. With hours of classwork shifting to online platforms, teachers have proved to be resilient as they care for their students' mental well-being as much as their academics. Last year, it was estimated that 63 million teachers were impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, revealing the immense pressure they are under as an over-extended education system falters.

Teachers have numerous added responsibilities in this crisis - with teaching, building relationships with students, managing their administrative tasks, all while employing new technology effectively. They must rethink their methods, as they strive to keep students intellectually and creatively engaged despite the remote connection.

Teachers are gatekeepers to society for young children. They cultivate a sense of responsibility, duty and partnership within the peer groups that they influence. They do more than provide textbook knowledge - they heavily impact the way students perceive their role in society, the way they think about the world and the manner in which they interact with their counterparts.

Therefore, their understanding of the risks that the youth are exposed to cannot be underestimated. Over the years, teachers have played pivotal roles in moulding happy, conscientious and independent citizens. They have transformed the lives of children through bridging learning gaps, supporting vulnerable students and recognising unique needs. Being a teacher, and a good one, is no easy feat.

Over the years, they have had to navigate a difficult path in their endeavour to provide care and information to students, particularly around critical taboo topics. Misconceptions about content and the delivery of information on HIV through sex education has complicated the ability of teachers to empower students living in conservative settings. Even where teaching of these subjects has been permitted, in order to improve retention and action, educators have had to devise ways that are engaging and effective to present this sensitive material.

Education has been proven to lower incidences of HIV, while also improving compassion and empathy and reducing discrimination among peers. In order to equip teachers to amplify these positive effects, it is important that they have the right tools and updated information at their disposal. TeachAids is pleased to share comprehensive Teacher Guides to accompany our education content. We’ve developed such guides on various topics such as COVID-19, Concussions and HIV. CoviDB for Kids is a particularly special initiative for children of various age groups that aggregates COVID-19-related content, presenting them in an easily digestible manner. Through sensitization and training, teachers around the world have been able to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be able to protect and guide children well. In the creation of these tools, many professionals from diverse fields have played the role of educators through their involvement with TeachAids. Their effort in building access, the use of technology, communications and advocacy paved the way for increased knowledge and deeper understanding.

Today, we celebrate all Teachers around the world for their tireless effort and dedication to make the future of our children brighter.