Government must ensure that the teaching profession is prestigious again if the quality of education is to improve, a renowned education expert has said.

The global community on October 5, will celebrate this year’s World Teacher’s Day.

Malawi currently needs at least 100,000 more primary school teachers to get to the recommended pupil-teacher ratio.

In an interview with YFM, Steve Sharra from African Institute for Development Policy said teachers are a fundamental factor in improving the education standards.

Sharra warned that if teachers are not well taken care of, Malawi will continue wallowing in poor standards of education.

This year’s World Teacher’s Day is commemorated under the theme “Young Teachers: The future of the Profession.”

Sharra said the theme shows how the teaching profession, is in a crisis not only in Malawi but globally the profession has lost its prestige.

He said a few people that join the teaching profession out of passion, but many join because they cannot join a profession of their choice and they only join teaching as a last resort.

Sharra said for this to change there is need for the country to reflect on the importance of teachers and how it would benefit if the profession is returned to its lost glory.

He said there is need to provide incentives that would encourage someone to work hard and better.