World Teachers' Day is celebrated on 5 October. An important day declared by UNESCO in 1966. This year's theme is "Transforming education begins with teachers", and it emphasises the role that teachers have in developing the potential of their learners.

Changes experienced in the last decade and those coming in the years ahead will be crucial for the education system and particularly for teachers and students. They have already started to adapt to new models of teaching and have seen a change in the way they teach, learn, communicate and share.

The resilience they have shown reflects how important it is for teachers to carry on sharing their knowledge with their students and to keep nurturing their learning for further personal and professional development.

Teachers have a crucial role to play in society: their leadership, their determination and their teaching methods influence the academic success of their classrooms. But their leadership potential can only be fully developed if we give them the necessary tools: Are their classrooms equipped? Do they have access to educational resources to improve their skills?

Thus, education must be rethought, and teachers must be considered at the centre of the concerns. Helping them means listening to their needs and improving their working conditions.

« (…) bringing qualified, supported and motivated teachers into classrooms – and keeping them there – is the single most important thing we can do to improve the learning and wellbeing of students and communities. The valuable work that teachers do must also be translated into better working conditions and pay."**

Driven by the vision to help teachers and the education system, European Schoolnet has, since its foundation, provided resources, support and listened to the needs of teachers. Whether it is access to free educational resources, online courses and webinars through its educational platform; Europeans Schoolnet Academy or its innovative classroom project Future Classroom Lab, this network of Ministries from 34 European countries has made it one of its main missions to provide teachers with the tools and knowledge to take part in the technological changes that the education system is facing.

In order to help teachers overcome the current challenges, European Schoolnet also continues to engage in innovative projects supported by the European Commission. For example, the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform offers valuable support to anyone interested in digital skills, good practice, information and data on skills, training resources, funding opportunities, news and events. It also facilitates interaction across the EU.

According to a report published by UNESCO, we will need nearly 69 million new teachers to reach the 2030 Education goals. It is therefore crucial for the competent authorities, ministries, heads of schools and all those involved in the education system to ensure that teachers are trusted and recognised as knowledge producers, reflective practitioners, and policy partners.

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^{**Joint Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General, International Labour Organization, Ms Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF, Mr David Edwards, General Secretary, Education International for World Teachers' Day, 5 October 2022}