Non-position Teacher Leadership highlighted in Kazakhstan on the Occasion of the World Teachers' Day

Within the framework of the UNESCO project "Introducing non-position teacher leadership in rural and remote schools in Kazakhstan to improve the quality of education", network events were organised in Almaty and Mangystau oblasts. The events were held in connection to the World Teachers' Day, which is celebrated annually on 5 October. This year's World Teachers' Day highlights the need to address the systemic challenges faced by teachers and to create a more inclusive dialogue about their role in education. In 2024, the theme of the celebration is 'Valuing Teachers' Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education', highlighting the urgent need to include teachers' voices to address the challenges they face but, most importantly, to recognise and use the expertise and contributions they bring to education as professionals.

Network events and the project itself, implemented by the UNESCO Almaty Regional Office in cooperation with HertsCam, Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University and Teachers Lab, an independent platform for teachers, with the support of the National Commission for UNESCO and IСESCO of the Republic of Kazakhstan, aim to provide open platforms for discussing and jointly solving educational and professional problems through the leadership of participating teachers. The project also focuses on the importance of incorporating teachers' voices into education policy and creating a favourable environment for their professional development. Both the theme of World Teachers' Day and this project emphasise the key role of teachers in shaping the future by nurturing students and contributing to educational progress. However, to realise their full potential, it is crucial that their voices are heard and valued in the decision-making processes that affect their profession. Often many educational reforms are introduced without the participation and voice of teachers, so the project provides an opportunity for teachers to propose innovative solutions to professional problems by creating professional communities of teachers in the field and provides a free platform for sharing experiences and solving problems together.

As part of the professional network events, teachers presented their projects and posters, as well as exchanged experiences and provided feedback to each other. As Zhauhar Omarbek, the Sciences subject teacher from Zharmukhambetvillage Secondary School in Almaty region noted: "The project provides an opportunity to address issues that are specific to rural and remote schools. I chose the problem of lack of laboratory facilities in the Sciences subject and how in rural conditions I was able to find a solution within the framework of the project, including through discussion with my colleagues in the school".