EI welcomes the declaration issued by its affiliates, the Verband Bildung und Erziehung (VBE) from Germany, the Gewerkschaft Öffentlicher Dienst (GÖD) from Austria, and Dachverband Schweizer Lehrerinnen und Lehrer (LCH) from Switzerland. This joint declaration, called the “Zurich Declaration,” deplores that national authorities are planning or already implementing obligatory school performance tests leading to school ranking.
Following the devastating earthquake in Eastern Turkey last November, EI and its member affiliates provided support to help Turkish union Egitim Sen and its members in the affected region. The earthquake killed 600, amongst them 75 teachers. Egitim Sen is leading the efforts to assist earthquake victims locally, helped by donations from EI and one of its member affiliates in Germany, GEW and the Netherlands, AOb.
EI has launched a campaign to urge the Bahraini authorities to immediately release on bail Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, President of the Bahraini Teachers Association (BTA), given his deteriorating health condition. This campaign is organised in partnership with LabourStart, an online news service aiming to serve the international trade union movement by collecting and disseminating information.
During her visit to Finland, from 25-28 January, EI President Susan Hopgood addressed around 14,000 teachers at the international seminar, “Finland – World’s Most Skilled Nation 2020?” organised by one of EI’s national affiliates, the Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö (OAJ). She welcomed the fact that Finland is acknowledged around the world for its successful public education system, quality teachers, and students’ high performance in international tests. She noted this is largely due to national commitment and investment in quality education.
Education International is the voice of the teachers and other education employees across the globe. A global federation of about 400 unions in more than 170 countries and territories, it represents 30 million teachers and education employees in education institutions from early childhood to university.
