In 2018, I was invited to speak at the United Nations Headquarters on the occasion of the 3rd commemoration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In my speech, I shed light on one of the least appreciated professions in the world: Teachers and their role in achieving the sustainable development goals which is all centered on equality.
The great majority of teachers are women, the most important are being our mothers. They show us the way through life and accomplish our dreams. My first teacher was my mother, she taught me manners, she taught me how to read, and she is still teaching me.
Next came my schoolteachers, starting from kindergarten all the way to now. They teach me life skills: how to add, multiply and write and I cannot imagine what the world would be without teachers.
Despite the rapid advancement in science and technology, our world still facing a shortage in science teachers, for example, in my middle school we had four science teachers, two of which were also certified English teachers. These four wonderful educators teach different grades: 5th, 6th 7th and 8th. That is one teacher for each grade. Now let’s assume that each will have 100 students and here we go: classes that are full of students with only one teacher.
How we can we encourage more girls to pursue science or achieve sustainable development and equality if there is shortage in teachers?
The theme of the 3rd international day of women and girls in science was equality and parity in science and equality sometimes is not only in gender but also in education.
Besides the shortage of science teachers, there is also inequality of education in different parts of the world. I am not only speaking about developing countries, but also in developed countries. In many developed countries, the difference between education in a big city and rural areas is extreme. It is time to address this issue.
If governments truly want to achieve the SDGs, if the international community really wants to achieve equality, they must value all teachers, they must invest in education and make it accessible to all.
Talking about Education (i.e. SDG 4), which is the heart of achieving the Global Goals and 2030 Agenda, is meaningless if teachers are not at the center of the requirements of this right.
Quality education means first and foremost, qualified teachers.
I encourage women in science to teach at one point or another, so they can leave behind a legacy through the students they educate who will have the power to change the world.
Today, from the symbol of global unity: The United Nations, I launch the Value Veda Global Campaign, in close collaboration with the UN Member States, and under the umbrella of the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT), with the theme “Teachers Shape the Future”.
