Teachers want Comenius' anniversary to be Czech significant day

Prague, Jan 21 (CTK) - Czech teachers want March 28, the birthday anniversary of the Czech-born famous thinker, pedagogue and protestant priest Jan Amos Komensky (Comenius) be introduced as a Significant Day of the Czech Republic, and they seek people's support to a petition promoting this goal.

Comenius (1592-1670) ranks among the most important representatives of the Czech and world intellectuals and homage to him should be paid by passing a bill on March 28 as a Significant Day, the authors write in the petition.

This step would also enhance teachers' prestige in society, they add.

The petition's initiator Slavek Hrzal, who in the past won the Golden Amos national contest for the most loved teacher, told CTK that the authors have distributed the petition to Czech schools and will promote it within the annual Golden Amos poll.

A similar bill was in the past prepared by the then education minister Josef Dobes, who proposed that it took effect as from 2012. However, the government has not discussed the bill yet.

Comenius's birthday anniversary has been celebrated as the Teachers' Day in the Czech Republic, while the UNESCO's international day of teachers is October 5.

The Czech Republic has seven national holidays and other six public holidays, including Christmas and Easter.

It also has nine significant days, such as March 8, the International Women's Day and the anniversary of the anti-nazi Prague uprising on May 5, but these days are working ones.