The Bermuda Union of Teachers praised the profession yesterday for its hard work in the face of Covid-19 in a video created to mark World Teachers Day.The video, presented to Education International — a global organisation made up of teaching unions — for a 24-hour virtual celebration, highlighted the hard work of teachers at a difficult time.Nishanthi Bailey, the BUT president, said in the video: “Over the past few months education in Bermuda has seen many changes as we collectively cope with this new norm.“Daily ‘good mornings’ filled with bright smiles, warm hugs and hands-on teaching and learning have been replaced with elbow bumps, a focus on virtual and remote learning and hidden emotions behind face masks and shields.“It has been more than a simple adjustment. Indeed, it has been a total paradigm shift in the way that we engage with the social, emotional and academic education of our beloved students.”Ms Bailey said teachers and students were forced to adapt to online education as schools across the island shut, saying the task seemed daunting, but added: “As time passed, however, we fought back. We fought like our union forebears would expect us to.“Our members in the Bermuda public school system fulfilled the myriad and many additional expectations with grace, dignity and a resourcefulness that bordered on elegance. It was a beautiful scene to watch unfold.”The video was released as part of World Teachers Day, and has been featured alongside segments from education unions across the world.Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, spoke at a ceremony at City Hall, Hamilton, organised by the Ministry of Education.Mr Rabain said: “I’ll begin my remarks by first expressing our gratitude to all teachers for your commitment, your diligence and the hard work put forth during the past few months to support our students learning.“This year, World Teachers Day, we are celebrating teachers with the theme ‘Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future’.” Mr Rabain added: “The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly challenged our schools and education systems.“So today we pause to acknowledge all those in the teaching profession and draw attention to the voices of teachers, who are at the heart of Bermuda’s education system and by extension, our future.”Mr Rabain added: “World Teachers Day has put a focus on the role of teachers in building resilience and shaping the future of education and the teaching profession.“Teachers, you have been leading Bermuda’s children through this crisis and you are helping them reimagining their future. From the bottom of my heart, I want to offer you a sincere and heartfelt thank you for all that you do.”