EDUCATION Minister Filipe Bole has urged people to begin taking a stand for teachers.
In a message marking World Teachers Day last week Mr Bole said: "Teachers are the best resource we can put into a school and schools are the base for healthy and law-abiding communities.
"I must congratulate the 9553 teachers in our 913 primary and secondary schools for being the positive inspiration to the students," he said.
Having highlighted the key role that teachers play in breeding healthy and balanced societies, Mr Bole made a special note, calling on support to come from rural areas too
"I am also calling on our local communities in the islands and rural areas to come forward and support our teachers who have been posted away from the comforts of their homes," he said.
As well as the 9553 teachers, there are an additional 800 Early Childhood Education Teachers whom Mr Bole acknowledged for their "patience and tolerance".