Every lesson that shapes a young person begins with an educator who makes learning meaningful.
Today, 5 October, Aflatoun International joins the world in celebrating World Teachers’ Day. This year’s theme is “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures.”
The theme marks 60 years since the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organization and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. It is also a reminder that teachers need recognition, professional support and a meaningful voice in education.
Turning knowledge into action
Social and financial education is about more than learning definitions. Children and young people need opportunities to make choices, solve problems, work with others and apply what they learn.
Teachers make this possible.
Through discussions, games, projects and practical activities, they help young people explore saving, budgeting, entrepreneurship, empathy, responsibility and active citizenship. They also adapt lessons to the languages, cultures and realities of their learners.
A strong curriculum matters. However, it reaches its full potential only when educators have the confidence, skills and support to bring it to life.
Investing in educators
In 2025, the Aflatoun Secretariat organised or supported 48 capacity-building events, reaching 1,607 teachers, facilitators, educators and partner staff. These sessions strengthened the delivery of practical, learner-centred social and financial education.
The work continued across Aflatoun’s global network.
In the Philippines, 31 educators from 27 schools received training during the year. More than 8,500 teachers have now been trained through the wider programme in the country.
In The Gambia, 45 teachers from 11 schools learned how to introduce saving, budgeting, planning and responsible citizenship through Aflatoun Clubs.
In Turkey, 30 primary and secondary school teachers explored active methods for integrating financial literacy and social entrepreneurship into classroom learning.
These examples show the value of investing in educators who understand their communities and can make learning relevant to their students.
Support must continue
Evidence also shows that one training session is rarely enough.
A study involving 90 primary schools in The Gambia found that teacher training increased students’ exposure to active learning. It also strengthened teachers’ confidence in using different teaching and assessment approaches.
However, the study did not find measurable short-term improvements in student learning outcomes. This highlights the need for continued support, quality assurance and enough time for changes in teaching practice to benefit learners fully.
Standing with teachers therefore means supporting them beyond the first workshop. It means providing useful materials, mentoring, peer learning and opportunities to keep developing professionally.
Thank you, teachers
Today, we celebrate the teachers, facilitators and trainers who help children and young people understand themselves, manage resources responsibly and contribute to their communities.
Thank you for turning knowledge into action and learning into skills for life.
Discover more about Aflatoun’s work with educators in our 2025 Annual Report.