United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession

The High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession was established by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres following the Transforming Education Summit held in 2022. It was tasked with setting out a clear plan of action on how the teaching profession can be supported and transformed to play its essential role in creating a better world.

  1. UNSG message on the launch of the High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession’s Recommendations

  2. Ms. Paula-Mae Weekes, Former President of Trinidad and Tobago and co-Chair of the High-Level Panel

  3. UNDSG message on the launch of the High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession’s Recommendations

  4. Ms. Kersti Kaljulaid, Former President of Estonia and co-Chair of the High-Level Panel

The Panel was co-chaired by Kersti Kaljulaid, former President of Estonia, and Paula-Mae Weekes, former President of Trinidad and Tobago. Supported by a joint International Labour Organization (ILO)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) secretariat, the 18-member Panel drew on expertise from ministries of education and labour, employers’ organizations, teachers’ unions, teachers, students, civil society and academia.

The Recommendations and summary of the deliberations of the High-Level Panel were launched on 26 February 2024 at the 14th Policy Dialogue Forum of the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 in Johannesburg, South Africa.


Co- Chairs

  • H.E. Ms. Kersti Kaljulaid, Former President of the Republic of Estonia
  • H.E. Ms. Paula-Mae Weekes, Former President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Members

  • Ms. Ligia Deca, Minister of Education of Romania
  • Ms. Angelina Matsie Motshekga, Minister for Basic Education of South Africa
  • Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships
  • Mr. Jaime Perczyk, Rector of the National University of Hurlingham and former Minister of Education (2021-23) in Argentina
  • Ms. Ida Fauziyah, Minister of Manpower of Indonesia
  • Mr. Sebastian Berger, Executive Director of the Global Student Forum
  • Mr. Gerhard F. Braun, German Employers’ Association Education Committee
  • Ms. Linda Darling-Hammond, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and President of the Learning Policy Institute.
  • Ms. Manal Hdaife, school principal in Lebanon and chair of the Education International Arab Countries Cross Regional Structure Committee
  • Ms. Susan Hopgood, President of Education International
  • Mr. Tiago Pitta e Cunha, Chief Executive Officer of Oceano Azul Foundation
  • Mr. Mamadou Cellou Souaré, General Confederation of Guinean Enterprises
  • Mr. Gorgui Sow, independent consultant from Senegal specializing in education policy and advocacy
  • Mr. Mike Thiruman, General Secretary of the Singapore Teachers’ Union
  • Ms. Denise Vaillant, Dean at the ORT University Institute of Education in Uruguay and Chairperson of the Joint ILO-UNESCO Committee of Experts on the Application of the Recommendations concerning Teaching Personnel
  • Ms. Andria Zafirakou, UK-based author and teacher, winner of the 2018 Global Teacher Prize

Ex-officio members

  • Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the ILO
  • Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO
  • Mr. Leonardo Garnier, UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Transforming Education