UAE Celebrates World Teachers' Day, Honoring Their Pivotal Role in Shaping Society's Progress and Future

The UAE joins the world in celebrating World Teachers' Day on October 5th, recognizing educators' central role in fostering innovation and building future generations. The country has built a comprehensive framework of awards, programs, and initiatives that position teachers at the heart of its educational transformation strategy.

Teachers in the UAE receive significant recognition for their work in developing educated, value-driven citizens. The country dedicates February 28th each year as "UAE Education Day" to celebrate the sector's importance and honor everyone working in education.

The Mohammed bin Zayed Award for Best Teacher, part of Zayed's humanitarian legacy institutions, has been identifying and celebrating exceptional educators worldwide since 2017. The award maintains strict criteria and comprehensive evaluation methods to highlight excellence and create systematic approaches that deliver real results.

In August, the award launched a specialized development program called "Executive Educational Excellence Leaders" in partnership with the Emirates College for Educational Development. The program equips winning teachers with advanced skills and tools, preparing them to lead educational change using technology and artificial intelligence.

This program helps educators master modern teaching methods supported by AI while reinforcing lifelong learning, creativity, innovation, and scientific research principles. The initiative strengthens teachers' roles in supporting school communities and reshapes educational excellence concepts.

The Khalifa Educational Award, another institution under Zayed's humanitarian legacy, supports educational institutions inside and outside the UAE while boosting creativity in education. In July, it announced its 19th cycle for 2025-2026, featuring 10 categories across 17 fields at local, Arab, and international levels. Applications remain open through December 31, 2025.

Since launching in 2007, the Khalifa award has successfully expanded awareness about excellence as a foundation for educational development and quality improvement.

The Hamdan-UNESCO Prize for Teacher Development Performance demonstrates the UAE's commitment to supporting education and teachers internationally. The Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences and UNESCO opened nominations for the 2025-2026 cycle in September.

Beyond honoring excellence, this prize motivates educational institutions and teachers to continuously develop teaching methods and create new solutions for global educational challenges. Through its UNESCO partnership, it aims to build a growing international network of experts, teachers, and institutions that raise educational standards and support sustainable development.

The prize is awarded every two years, with winners selected by an independent international jury of five prominent education experts appointed by UNESCO's Director-General. The committee ensures representation from different geographical regions worldwide. Three winners from the new cycle will be honored during an official ceremony coinciding with World Teachers' Day on October 5, 2026, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

The UAE government's third annual meetings in 2019 marked a turning point for launching initiatives targeting teacher appreciation, empowerment, and motivation. These initiatives focused on supporting teachers within the Emirati school system, enhancing their professional and specialized capabilities, and recognizing their national efforts in preparing generations ready for future challenges and skills requirements.

In October 2022, the Emirates Schools Establishment launched education councils for school leaders and teachers in government schools. The initiative involves the educational field in developing the educational system and decision-making processes, drawing on field expertise to meet the country's educational ambitions and targets.

These interconnected programs create a comprehensive ecosystem where teacher development directly supports the UAE's broader educational goals. By combining local recognition through national awards with international partnerships like the UNESCO prize, the country builds both domestic teaching capacity and global educational influence.