#ThankATeacher: Show your appreciation with words of gratitude

October is National Teacher Appreciation month, with World Teachers’ Day being celebrated around the world on 5 October 2024.

We want to thank all of our teachers of the Western Cape for the love and support they give our children every day.

Teachers shape the lives of our youth and provide them with the tools to succeed in the workplace and as leaders in society. They make a lasting and positive influence on our lives and that of our children, and this should be acknowledged.

While we should be celebrating our teachers throughout the year, let’s make the month of October exceptional by showering our teachers with words of gratitude.

We are encouraging the public to show how much they value a past or present teacher by posting words of gratitude on social media using the hashtag #ThankATeacher.

We are also encouraging our learners to write a letter or card to their teacher, or drawing a picture for their special teacher to share with them, in the run up to World Teachers’ Day. These small gestures of thanks go such a long way.

As we celebrate our wonderful teachers and this noble profession, we are also aware of the pressure that the national fiscal emergency has placed on our teachers and our schools.

We will continue to work with other provinces through the Council of Education Ministers to outline the scale of the challenges facing provincial education departments, and to fight for our teachers.

If there was ever a time to show how valuable our teachers are, it is now. Share your words of gratitude to our teachers and show just how important they are to us all!