Leading online English education platform 51Talk held its annual Teachers’ Day gathering via a virtual event attended by over 10,000 of its online English teachers from all corners of the Philippines. The event, called “51TalkFlix: Your Future At Home,” was streamed live via their website and YouTube and it aims to honor and celebrate the teaching profession this teachers’ month. Over 2 million pesos worth of prizes were raffled off during the event including exclusive 51Talk merchandise, gift certificates, gadgets, appliances, and laptops.

More than 10,000 online English teachers enjoyed a day of entertainment, games and performances at 51Talk’s annual teachers gathering. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 51Talk had to innovate and conduct the annual offline event online which allowed its teachers from the farthest places in the Philippines to watch and enjoy the celebrations.

“We always have an annual gathering for our teachers and this pandemic won’t stop us from doing it again this year. We consider the teachers’ month as the most wonderful time of the 51Talk year. More than 10,000 of our online English teachers participated and we were overwhelmed by the turnout,” said 51Talk Country Head Jennifer Que.

51Talk Country Head Jennifer Que kicked-off the virtual teachers’ day gathering with a message of thanks and acknowledgment of the teachers who tuned-in in the show.

“Because all our teachers are home-based, it made sense to mount the grand event virtually. It’s exciting to hold a seamless online experience and connect with everyone. There are no boundaries anymore so we were able to reach more of our teachers to participate,” Ms. Que added.

Jack Huang, Founder and CEO of 51Talk, was also virtually present from 51Talk’s headquarters in Beijing.

51Talk Founder and CEO Jack Huang was also virtually present straight from 51Talk’s headquarters in Beijing, China. “I’m so happy to see everyone enjoying themselves as we celebrate and honor our teachers at 51Talk. I want everyone to know how grateful 51Talk is for your dedication and hard work, and for brightening our students’ day one lesson at a time,” said Mr. Huang.

“2020 is another special year for 51Talk. It marks 51Talk’s 9th year as a platform & 4th year of being listed in the NYSE. I salute all of the teachers who have been with us for many years now and I thank you for the trust and for believing in the 51Talk platform. As we move forward to the next year, expect greater and better things from 51Talk,” he added.

As COVID-19 forced the shutdown of physical schools in China earlier this year, Chinese parents used the extra time their children had to book additional English lessons on the online education platform. The surge of additional lessons was delivered by 51Talk’s more than 25,000 home-based teachers in the Philippines. This prompted 51Talk to attract 30,000 Filipino teachers this year to fulfil the increasing demand of online English education in China, an industry that enjoys explosive growth annually.

The 51TalkFlix event’s celebrity guests, Ebe Dancel and Morissette, paid tribute to the teachers through their performances.

The 51TalkFlix event also showcased the awe-inspiring talents of the teachers in its annual competition, Talent to the Max. 51Talk’s outstanding teachers and clubs were also recognized. A special segment of Chinese students giving their teachers a heart-warming tribute on this special day was also part of the program.

The event also featured performances from today’s hottest stars such as legendary OPM singer/songwriter Ebe Dancel who serenaded the teachers, and Asia’s Phoenix, Morissette, who wowed the crowd with her rendition of pop songs and original singles.

Rounding out the list of personalities during the event was 51Talk’s Philippine Brand Ambassador Pia Wurtzbach, who delivered an inspirational message. Pia was chosen to represent 51Talk because of her long-time advocacy of empowering Filipinos through livelihood opportunities. Because the pandemic affected and displaced millions of Filipino workers, Pia used her voice and platform to talk about 51Talk and the earning opportunities of being an online English teacher.

51Talk’s Philippine Brand Ambassador and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach surprised the online audience with a video message and greeting. “Thanks for all that you do. I am proud of all of you and I hope you will continue to excel and help more students succeed in life,” said Pia.

“When I joined the 51Talk family, I was thrilled to help spread the word about the 30,000 livelihood opportunities on the platform. I love to empower my fellow Pinoys and I believe in our skills, dedication, and our capability to succeed and flourish when faced with opportunities,” said Pia. “To all of the 51Talk teachers, Happy Teacher’s Day!”

Before the event wrapped up, Ms. Que thanked the thousands of teachers who participated in the teachers’ day celebration while promising to deliver an even bigger and better event next year.

“51Talk is the best place to be right now. To all 51Talk teachers, thank you for enabling our students to speak up, stand out and succeed. Keep up the good work and Happy Teachers’ day to all of you!” Ms. Que exclaimed.

For those who are interested to become a home-based online English teacher at 51Talk and to be part of its amazing and passionate community, visit 51Talk.ph and sign-up now.