Ei-iE

EI’s member organisation, the Korean Teachers' and Education Workers' Union KTU (Jeon-Gyo-Jo), is facing heavy repression for criticising the government.

Teacher organisations from 29 Commonwealth countries urged their governments to invest in teachers and in developing the teaching profession in a Teachers' Forum held recently in Kuala Lumpur.

On the occasion of the 58th Education Week, the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) conducted a teacher survey. The survey showed that six out of ten teachers have experienced or are now suffering from occupational diseases and many of them are under great stress from negative media reports and...

Members of EI’s affiliate the National Teachers’ Association of Taiwan are deeply concerned about a draft union law currently tabled in the Taiwanese Parliament.

"A reduction of the drop-out rate, expansion of early childhood education, better vocational education and training, increased use of new technologies in education, a better adjustment of higher education to new European standards."

Zimbabwean teachers cancelled their strike on 5 May to show their faith in the government, even though the interim US$800 monthly salary promised to them in February has yet to be paid.

Despite formal promises by the authorities, Iranian teachers are getting frustrated that the Pay Parity Law passed in 2007 has still not been implemented. As a result, the teacher movement there is calling for industrial action from 26-28 Apr.

"We must go on the offensive. In every country, in every region and globally. We must turn crisis into opportunity. For we have a powerful case to make, and to show that investment in quality public education for all is the key to recovery, the key to eradicate poverty, and...

Teachers will not return to school when it reopens in May should they not receive their salaries, according to the teacher unions there.

The President of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union KTU (Jeon-Gyo-Jo) has been on hunger strike since 23 February to protest the recent dismissal of a number of KTU members for not cooperating in carrying out standardized tests which the government introduced last autumn. To publicize his hunger strike,...

Hopes were raised when Zimbabwe’s new Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, promised that all civil servants, including teachers, would be paid in foreign currency by the end of February.

Both EI member organisations in Zimbabwe denounce the latest salary paid to teachers by the government. On 21 January, the teacher unions told reporters that their members were paid an average of Z$29 trillion as salary for January 2009. This amount is less than US$10.

Seven primary and middle school teachers in the South Korean capital Seoul have been fired for giving students and parents a choice about whether to take a national standardised test.

Teachers, parents and students across Italy are rallying in defense of quality public education and to protest a devastating package of reforms proposed the government of Silvio Berlusconi. Union leaders say it would turn back the clock thirty years in schools.

Leaders of the Trade Union of Employees in Education, Science and Culture (SONK) and representatives of the Macedonian education authorities reached an accord 3 December, bringing to an end the strike which had closed elementary and secondary schools since 24 November.

Teachers are more optimistic after an announcement by Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski condemning the pressure exerted on teacher union members, and urging education officials and union leaders to get back to the negotiating table and come to a mutually agreeable solution to the current strike.

Members of the Autonomous Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture of the Republic of Macedonia (SONK) went on strike 24 November after the government reneged on its earlier commitments in collective agreements for both elementary and secondary education.

Education International its EU organisation, the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), strongly support the call by their Italian member organisations - the Federazione Lavoratori della Connoscenza (FLC-CGIL), the CISL-Scuola and the UIL-Scuola for action against the plans by the government to dramatically downsize the education sector.