Fedusa, ATVK launch 'My Teacher, My Hero' campaign

Two groups plan to launch a ‘My Teacher, My Hero’ campaign to honour school teachers and the work they do on World Teachers' Day.

"With My Teacher, My Hero we want to ensure that children who are currently attending school realise the determining role that an educator can play," said Jaco Deacon, deputy CEO of the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (Fedsas) on Thursday.

The project would be launched in collaboration with the Afrikaanse Taal en Kultuurvereniging (ATKV).

Deacon said everybody had a story to tell about a teacher who helped to shape his or her life, whether you were now the man on the street, a famous sporting hero, an artist or political leader.

"But we want to take it one step further and invite those who could not even remember what school felt like, to make contact with a beloved teacher or visit their old school."

World Teachers' Day is celebrated annually on October 5.

Deacon said the date usually fell in the school holidays, which meant Fedsas could never really celebrate the day.

The campaign would therefore be launched on October 12, the first Friday of the fourth term.

Deacon said Fedsas and the ATKV would like as many people as possible to take part in the campaign.

"We want the media to get involved as well; just imagine how interesting it would be to read about famous peoples' favourite teachers."

He said the idea was not to tie the campaign to a specific group or language.

"It does not matter who you are, somewhere you have received exposure to a [good] teacher."

Deacon said the campaign aimed to celebrate the work that teachers performed under difficult circumstances.