World Teachers’ Day 2025: 6 Key takeaways from Kenya’s celebration
By Aloys Michael, October 5, 2025World Teachers’ Day 2025, celebrated on October 5, offered more than just warm words and thank-you messages.
The 2025 event came at a time when teachers across the country are raising their voices about pay delays, growing workloads, and a lack of resources in classrooms.
While the day was filled with tributes and praise, it also shed light on the challenges still facing the teaching profession and the urgent need for change.
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Here are six key takeaways from the 2025 World Teachers’ Day:
Empowering teachers
The official theme for World Teachers’ Day 2025, as set by UNESCO and Education International, was “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession.”
It highlights the importance of collaboration as a driver of educational transformation. Yet the constant inequalities in access to continuing professional development prevent many teachers from participating in this kind of collaborative learning that helps them improve their practice and stay motivated.
It also observes the evolving role of teachers in the age of digital learning, artificial intelligence, and shifting student needs.
Educator’s welfare
Across the country, schools, ministries, and political leaders such as ODM Party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna organised award ceremonies, panel discussions, and media campaigns celebrating teachers.
However, the tone in many parts of the country was more serious than festive. Political leaders used the day to spotlight unpaid salaries, delayed promotions, and cutbacks to allowances.
Some like Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and his counterpart of Githunguri Gathoni Wamuchomba decry neglect of teachers and express their dissatisfaction with current working conditions.
They have vowed to defend the teachers against the government’s plan to scrap the hardship allowance in the proposed legislation in the National Assembly, waiting for approval.
On the other hand, teachers have warned of Mental Health strain as the government moves to scrap hardship allowances.
Unresolved payment issues
A major talking point at the 2025 event was the non-payment or delay of teacher salaries and allowances, especially in developing regions.
For example, some teachers in volatile areas are said to have not received housing or hardship allowance as promised in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
CS Ogamba has emphasised that he future of our education lies in collaboration and partnership, especially among teachers, learners, parents, communities, and the government.
“All of us are working for a common national endeavour, and it is important that we all join hands in ensuring that teachers and all other stakeholders work together in support of the progress of the education system,” he said.
Meanwhile, in major towns such as Nairobi, many teachers complained that their earnings could not keep up with the rising cost of living, leading some to seek second jobs or consider leaving the profession altogether.
UNESCO reiterated that competitive pay and timely compensation are essential to attracting and retaining qualified teachers.
Surging shortage of teachers
World Teachers’ Day 2025 also brought attention to the growing global teacher shortage. According to the latest UNESCO report, the world still needs more than 70 million teachers by 2030 to meet basic education goals.
Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are the most affected regions, with overcrowded classrooms and underqualified teaching staff becoming the norm in many schools.
Governments were urged to invest more in teacher training, provide incentives to work in remote areas, and modernise teaching environments to attract young professionals into the field.
Is there a milestone?
Despite the challenges, some countries have taken an initiative to hasten the education sector through policy legislation, and have fully implemented the use of digital tools in teaching and assessing learners.
For instance, Finland launched a national mentorship program to support new teachers, and South Korea announced a salary reform package aimed at reducing teacher turnover.
On the other hand, in Kenya, Ogamba has pledged to digitise payroll systems to address delays in teacher payments and introduced the mental health programmes for teachers facing burnout and stress.
Teachers want actions
Perhaps the clearest message from the celebration was this: appreciation must come with action.
Many teachers said that while it felt good to be celebrated on October 5, 2025, what they truly need is consistent policy support, fair pay, and safe, well-resourced classrooms.
In several interviews and opinion pieces published both globally and locally, educators emphasised that teaching is more demanding than ever and that symbolic gestures, no matter how well-meaning, will not fix broken systems.