Official information, updates, background and resources from the Uganda National Teachers' Union.
World Teachers' Day is observed every year on 5 October to celebrate teachers and recognise their contribution to education and society.
The day commemorates the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers . The Recommendation established important international standards relating to teachers' rights and responsibilities, professional preparation and development, recruitment, employment and working conditions.
World Teachers' Day has been celebrated globally since 1994.
World Teachers' Day is recognised and celebrated in Uganda every year on 5 October.
Most importantly, World Teachers' Day belongs to teachers. It is a day to recognise, celebrate and reflect on the contribution of teachers to learners, communities and the nation.
UNATU's role is to support teachers in marking the day meaningfully, while using the occasion to strengthen teacher voice, professional growth and solidarity.
World Teachers' Day 2026 marks 60 years since the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
UNATU is using this milestone to reflect on the status, value and future of the teaching profession in Uganda.
Celebrate the teacher. Strengthen the profession. Create lasting value.
Follow the official communication, participation context, updates and World Teachers' Day message for 2026.
In September, UNATU communicated the approach to World Teachers' Day 2026, with emphasis on ensuring that opportunities for teachers to come together also contribute to membership education, training, professional growth, dialogue and empowerment.
The approach recognised the importance of celebrating teachers while also creating value that continues beyond the day itself.
Read September CommunicationPrevious participation provides useful context for understanding how teachers engage with World Teachers' Day and how future activities can create greater value.
Overall recorded attendance decreased from 51,027 members in 2023 to 45,601 in 2024, while recorded non-attendance increased from 16,414 to 28,777. The regional figures also show considerable variation in participation, highlighting the importance of understanding members' experiences and continuing to strengthen the value and relevance of World Teachers' Day engagements.
Watch the World Teachers' Day Edition of the Update to the Membership for information on how UNATU is marking World Teachers' Day 2026.
On World Teachers' Day 2026, UNATU asks a simple but important question:
What does it look like to be a teacher in Uganda today?
UNATU invited teachers to share what they wished the public understood about being a teacher in Uganda. More than 200 teachers responded, sharing experiences of dedication, sacrifice, professional pride, working conditions, respect and wellbeing.
Go directly to the information you need.
Read the approach communicated ahead of World Teachers' Day 2026.
Read Communication →Review recorded attendance and non-attendance for World Teachers' Day 2023 and 2024.
View Record →Watch the World Teachers' Day Edition of the Update to Members.
Watch Video →Read UNATU's official World Teachers' Day 2026 statement.
Read Message →World Teachers' Day is a moment to recognise the people at the heart of education.
It is a day to celebrate the teacher who prepares the learner, supports the struggling child, builds skills, guides young people and contributes every day to the development of Uganda.
Whether commemorated through celebration, reflection, learning, dialogue, fellowship or professional development, the focus remains the same:
To every teacher across Uganda:
