Former world leaders have come together to urge nations around the globe to do more to not only protect teachers but to help rebuild the respect they “so richly deserve”.

In an open letter published by the Varkey Foundation and Club de Madrid, this power group said that while in most societies throughout history, teachers have been highly admired, this reverence has diminished.

They cited research by the Varkey Foundation, which shows that in 21 countries, less than a third of parents would “definitely encourage” their children to pursue a career in the profession.

Only one country - China - considered teachers to be up there with doctors when it comes to status, showing that there is a long way to go to boosting the renown of teaching internationally.

The signees to the letter, which include Tarja Halonen, president of Finland (2000-2012), Felipe Calderón, president of Mexico, (2006-2012) and Jorge Sampaio, president of Portugal (1996-2006), claim that teachers get a raw deal for lots of things.

“They are blamed for everything from a decline in manners among young people to a lack of basic skills in the workplace,” they outlined. “They have even, on occasion, been blamed for a country’s poor economic performance.

“Too often politicians see teachers as an easy target for short-term political gain. The effects of this are profoundly damaging to the life chances of the next generation.

“If teachers aren’t respected in society, children won’t listen to them in class, parents won’t back their teachers, and the most talented graduates will continue to disregard teaching as a fulfilling career option.”

They conclude by saying that teachers are needed more than ever because they possess the power to change so much about the world in a positive way for many years to come.

This includes climate change, poverty, conflict and disease. In some ways, the world leaders say, they are the silent backbone of the world, enabling so much good to happen without anyone really knowing it.