India
The AIPTF and AIFTO started implementing the Education for All (EFA) Programme in 2003. In 2006 they elected to participate in the EFAIDS Programme, taking into the programme the area of HIV/AIDS prevention through schools. They were joined at this stage by a third EI affiliate, AISTF (All India Secondary Teachers’ Federation).
In July 2006 the leaders of the three EI affiliates met in Delhi and for the first time mapped out a plan of action with elements for joint cooperation. It was also the first time that they discussed the issues of HIV&AIDS and Child Labour in the context of Education for All. All three unions worked out a plan of action in response to the new bill on education.
The current priorities for the three Indian EI affiliates implementing the EFAIDS Programme are as follows:
Bill of rights
Study on enrollment rate
Recruitment of untrained teachers (‘para teachers’)
HIV and the school response
Retention of the girl child
On HIV&AIDS a major breakthrough was made in 2006. After four years of refusal to enter into contact with teachers unions, NACO (National AIDS Control Organisation) representatives finally welcomed cooperation with the federations and with Education International. A meeting was held convening unions, national and state representatives on the progress made towards implementing training (pre- and in-service) and teaching on HIV and AIDS in secondary education.
The outcomes of this meeting were as follows:
- The Government of India is keen on implementing a programme in the education sector;
- One of the major weaknesses is that the responsible institutions have not been following very effective approaches;
- The teachers would appear to be the missing link in the process;
- Materials have been developed by the various institutions such as a ‘teachers workbook’, and a ‘national toolkit’;
In September 2006 EI and EDC conducted a joint EFA and AIDS (EFAIDS) workshop with the AIPTF, AISTF and AIFTO in Chennai, India. The states represented were Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh , Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
The objectives of the event were to:
• Sensitise leaders of the three Federations to the EFAIDS programme
• Assess available materials
• Choose strategies to address the five EFAIDS working areas: policy development, advocacy, training, research, and publicity
• Develop action plans
Some of the key issues that unions were dealing with are:
• Education for all
• Child labour
• Working conditions for para teachers
• Adolescent girls’ health education
• Girls education
• Womens’ empowerment
• HIV/AIDS
To protest against the Education Bill, the AIPTF organised a mass rally of primary teachers in February 2007, at which more than 50,000 teachers participated. The objective of the rally was to exert pressure on the Government of India to remove certain provisions within the Education Bill. Their efforts reaped the benefits. One day after their march, the teachers received an invitation from the Education Minister to meet and discuss their demands.
Meanwhile AIFTO leaders camped in New Delhi in March to advocate for changes to the Education Bill. The union sent an alternative ‘Model Bill’ to all MPs in Parliament and officials involved in the process. The AIFTO produced a report entitled “An Analysis of Different Studies on Education, Infrastructure in Primary Schools.” It comments on the right of the child to a free, quality education and the responsibilities of the State and the role of schools and teachers in this regard.
Co-operating organisations:
Education International
(EI)
World Health Organisation
(WHO)
Education Development Center
(EDC)
Start date:
2006-01-01
Deadline:
2010-12-31
External Links:
