Durban — South Africa joined the rest of the world on Sunday to honour the role and importance of teachers in the classroom and society on World Teacher's Day.

On 5 October every year, World Teacher's Day is celebrated across the world in over 100 countries.

Speaking at the celebration of World Teacher's Day in Durban on Sunday, Education Minister Naledi Pandor said: "Teachers are the backbone of the education system.

"They hold positions where they are able to influence the lives of their learners, in positive ways."

The day also symbolises the commemoration of signing the 1966 United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Recommendation with regard to the Status of Teachers.

For UNESCO, World Teachers Day represents a significant token of the awareness, understanding and appreciation displayed for the vital contribution that teachers make to education and development.

In South Africa, the day has created a platform to share the good that teachers continue to provide to the youth.

The minister said the day is celebrated at the beginning of October as it symbolises the start of the celebrations planned for Teacher's Month.

Through out the month, there will be activities across the provinces aimed at honouring teachers.

The month will culminate with the National Teaching Awards to be held on 29 October in a venue yet to be announced.

"I've asked all provinces, all districts and all schools across the country to celebrate their teachers. I am asking all of us to think about those teachers who made a difference in our lives.

"We must also think about teachers who encouraged us to understand the power of knowledge and who taught us how to think and learn," she said.

She said the department has worked hard in the area of policy of formulation and implementation.

Ms Pandor singled out the Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD) for education as one of the groundbreaking policies that government has adopted to improve the quality within the education system.

The OSD also aims to cement the good work that is done by teachers as well as to ensure that the department improves the career pathing of teachers so as to give full recognition and reward to their excellent work.

It also improves the salaries of teachers in order to ensure that they stay committed to their calling and attract as well as retain teachers.

Minister Pandor further said it was teachers who developed future generations such as accountants, doctors, caregivers and citizens who are well grounded to contribute meaningfully to the country.

"Teachers are models of their profession, trusted by their learners, and warmly appreciated by parents.

"We honour a few of them every year in our teachers' awards and see the fruits of their labours in the striking achievements of schools of every description throughout the country," she said.

According to Ms Pandor, efforts and achievements of teachers in developing whole learners in ways that includes skills production for the economy goes far beyond mere monetary measurement.

A total of forty-five teachers and their forty five learners from all the nine provinces attended the event on Sunday.

This year's theme for UNESCO World Teacher's Day was 'My teacher makes a difference'."