Nassau, Bahamas - In commemoration of that 1966 landmark United Nations Convention on the Status of Teachers, I salute our hardworking teachers and educators across the length and breadth of this country for their unwavering commitment to nation building as they provide quality education at all levels. They build the whole person – body mind and spirit.

Under the 2012 motto “Take a stand for teachers,” I echo the sentiments of Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO that "Teachers… ultimately determine our collective ability to innovate, to invent, to find solutions for tomorrow. Nothing will ever replace a good teacher. Nothing is more important than supporting them.”

My government took a stand for teachers when in 2006 we signed the historic and first collective bargaining agreement with the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) after forty-one years of recognition. We remain committed to working with the BUT to removing all obstacles and providing all the necessary support to ensure that our teachers have the best resources available to ensure that our children realise their fullest scholastic potential and human development.

I reiterate my government’s commitment to doubling the nation’s investment in education and training with more and better educational opportunities for all Bahamians – from our smallest preschoolers to graduate students to workers who need retraining to update their skills.

My government and I believe it is critical to invest in young Bahamians, to give them the opportunity for real skills training and the best technology. Our educators are the principal conduits through which this vision will come to fruition.

On behalf of my Cabinet and the Government of the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, I congratulate our teachers as we celebrate the forty-sixth anniversary of World Teachers Day.