In 1966, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNESCO jointly adopted the Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers (hereinafter referred to as the Recommendation). Over the past six decades, the Recommendation has made a historic contribution to enhancing the status of teachers and advancing teacher professional development worldwide. In response to the profound global changes, the AI revolution, and ongoing educational transformation, the two organizations have decided to revise the Recommendation.
To support this process, the ILO and UNESCO have each nominated 12 education experts and representatives from around the world to form the Independent Expert Group–66 (IEG-66), a 24-member panel to revise the Recommendation. Professor Zhang Minxuan, Director of TEC, was nominated by UNESCO and selected as a member of the expert group.
On June 18, the IEG-66 held its first meeting. Representatives from UNESCO and the ILO, together with all members of the expert group, attended the meeting online. During the meeting, participants agreed on the group’s working objectives, methods, and timeline. Members also shared their perspectives on the revision of the Recommendation.
In his remarks, Professor Zhang emphasized that the Recommendation is a landmark document in the history of global teacher development, as it affirmed the professional status of teachers and promoted their professional development across countries. Given the multiple global challenges and the worldwide shortage of 44 million qualified teachers, revising the Recommendation is both timely and necessary.
Professor Zhang further argued that the revision should go beyond making incremental additions to the existing text. Instead, it should anticipate future developments, comprehensively review gaps and deficiencies, reflect the concerns and needs of frontline teachers, and put forward a coherent set of new recommendations that can guide countries to take phased actions. His remarks drew considerable attention from representatives of both organizations and fellow members of the expert group.
TEC has long been committed to participating in global education governance, advancing teacher development worldwide, and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Professor Zhang’s appointment to the IEG-66 will further strengthen China’s engagement and voice in the global teacher agenda.
