The post-2015 agenda
At the board meeting, key speakers included Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), and Itai Madamombe, Assistant to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.
Participants discussed strategies on the post-2015 development and education agenda and identify key opportunities for union engagement within the new framework.
“People understand that education is the key that will unlock all goals important to the world", stated Mr. Brown.
“There’ll be a sense of betrayal by poor countries’ people if we don’t take action and do our best to achieve the current Millennium Development Goals by 2015. We must push for great action during these coming years”, he added.
EI General Secretary, Fred van Leeuwen, said: “EI’s 30 million educators across the world can help bridge the gap between what is happening at the school-classroom level and the global decisions taken at the UN level. We are a key partner for the GEFI. ”
Emphasis on ‘quality’ education
EI also wishes to renew its commitment to Education For All, with a special emphasis on the ‘quality’ of the education, as it is defined within the Education Policy Paper adopted by its last World Congress in Cape Town .
Towards this important aim, the EI Executive Board will agree on new ways of mobilising EI grassroots’ members to jointly campaign to put quality public education at the core of the international agenda.
OECD, gender equality, under spotlight
Other topics high on the agenda of the global teacher-movement’s Board include issues related to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Participants will discuss outcomes of the successful EI Conference for OECD affiliates held in London, UK, from 29-30 January.
Additionally, a gender equality action plan will be also discussed, as well as issues related with the EI Second World Women’s Conference, On the Move for Equality: from words to action to be held from 7-9 April 2014 in Dublin, Ireland.
