Ei-iE

Go public! Fund education

Campaigns

Education unions around the world are joining forces to build inclusive quality public education for all. We are mobilising to fully fund public education systems and resist budget cuts, austerity, and privatisation.

Go Public! Fund Education is an urgent call for governments to invest in public education, a fundamental human right and public good, and to invest more in teachers, the single most important factor in achieving quality education. This means guaranteeing labour rights and ensuring good working conditions, as well as manageable workloads and competitive salaries for teachers and education workers. It also means valuing teachers, respecting teachers, ensuring they are central to decision-making, and trusting their pedagogical expertise.

We are working together across borders to guarantee every student’s right to have a well-supported qualified teacher and a quality learning environment. Let's act together in solidarity to Go Public and fund education.

Advocacy toolkit: From United Nations recommendations to action

  1. Future of work in education

    Activating the Recommendations of the UN High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession

    A Guide for Education Unions
    3 April 2024

    The High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession was convened by the United Nations Secretary-General in response to the global teacher shortage. The Panel brought together academics, ministers, former presidents, teachers and students and their unions.

    Activating the Recommendations of the UN High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession
    1. Download
  2. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4

    Activating the recommendations on teachers in crisis contexts

    United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession recommendations
    22 May 2024

    The High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession was convened by the United Nations Secretary General in response to the global teacher shortage. Tasked with providing policy advice for governments to ensure that every child’s right to a professionally-trained, qualified, and well-supported teacher is fulfilled, the Panel identified 59 recommendations.

    Activating the recommendations on teachers in crisis contexts
    1. Download
  3. Leading the profession

    Activating the recommendations for higher education

    The United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession Recommendations
    3 July 2024

    The High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession was convened by the United Nations Secretary General and brought together academics, ministers of education and labour, former presidents, employers’ organisations, teachers and students and their unions.

    Activating the recommendations for higher education
    1. Download
more: Advocacy toolkit: From United Nations recommendations to action

Campaign news

  1. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 9 December 2024

    The Philippines: Unions’ joint commitment to go public, fund education and counter teacher shortage

    With a declining education budget and an increasing national teacher shortage, education unions in the Philippines are demanding greater governmental investment to recruit and retain teachers and ensure quality education for all.

    Read more The Philippines: Unions’ joint commitment to go public, fund education and counter teacher shortage
  2. Trade union rights are human rights 3 December 2024

    Eswatini: Teachers launch the Go Public! Fund Education campaign despite intimidation

    In Eswatini, Education International (EI) and its member organisation, the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), are amplifying their call for systemic reforms in public education.

    Read more Eswatini: Teachers launch the Go Public! Fund Education campaign despite intimidation
  3. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 14 November 2024

    Morocco: Education unionists celebrate progress and continue to mobilise for the Go Public! Fund Education campaign

    Education International member organisation the Fédération Nationale de l'Enseignement - Union Marocaine du Travail (FNE-UMT) continues its mobilisation for the Go Public! Fund Education campaign in Morocco. Having secured significant wins through social dialogue, the union has resolved to place the Go Public! campaign and the United Nations recommendations on...

    Read more Morocco: Education unionists celebrate progress and continue to mobilise for the Go Public! Fund Education campaign
  4. Go public! Fund education 13 November 2024

    A pact for public education

    In a context of cuts and attacks on public education, the National Federation of Secondary School Teachers (FENAPES) of Uruguay has been at the forefront of resistance against the regressive policies of the right-wing coalition government. In this article, FENAPES will explain how it has defended education, its teachers and...

    Read more A pact for public education
  5. Democracy 11 November 2024

    Education Unions in the United States stand firm for public education after Trump win

    In the aftermath of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the nation’s leading teacher unions, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), have reaffirmed their commitment to safeguard public education and the rights of all students.

    Read more Education Unions in the United States stand firm for public education after Trump win
more: Campaign news

Take action!

  1. Go public! Fund education 13 September 2023

    World Teachers’ Day 2023: The teachers we need for the education we want

    Communications toolkit

    This World Teachers’ Day, join the global mobilisation calling on governments everywhere to invest in teachers and in quality public education.

    Read more World Teachers’ Day 2023: The teachers we need for the education we want
  2. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4

    Transforming Education Financing: a toolkit for activists

    2 June 2023

    Transforming Education Financing: a toolkit for activists is produced by Education International together with the Global Campaign for Education and ActionAid International. The toolkit is aimed at both civil society organisations and teachers’ unions across the globe campaigning for increased public funding to ensure the fundamental right to education.

    Transforming Education Financing: a toolkit for activists
    1. Download
  3. Higher education and research 23 January 2023

    Go public! Fund education: Campaign toolkit

    Go Public! Fund education is Education International´s new campaign to mobilise funding for public education around the world. Funding public education improves pay, working conditions, and empowers teachers and education personnel to stay and thrive in the profession they love and the world needs.

    Read more Go public! Fund education: Campaign toolkit
  4. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4

    Roadmap to financing education

    15 November 2016

    In an era where investment in education is declining and myriad shortcuts are popping up, Education International presents its rights-based Roadmap to sustainable, predictable and principled education financing.

    Roadmap to financing education
    1. Download

Research

  1. Go public! Fund education

    Higher Education Funding across the Globe

    An Overview on Funding of Higher and Further Education and Research, its Political and Socio-Economic Causes, and some Consequences, across the Globe
    15 May 2024

    This paper offers an overview on funding of higher and further education across the globe. Drawing on the best available comparative data, it shows how education is funded in different ways. It discusses, for example, how much different countries spend on higher education, how spending has changed over time, how...

    Higher Education Funding across the Globe
    1. Research Paper
    2. Summary
  2. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4

    Nepal | Education Fact Sheet

    27 June 2023

    Nepal’s school education system consists of at least one year of pre-primary education (also known as early childhood education and development or ECED), eight years of basic (grades 1-8) and four years of secondary (grades 9-12) education.

    Nepal | Education Fact Sheet
    1. Download
  3. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4

    India | Education Fact Sheet

    27 June 2023

    Mapping different indicators related to teachers, teachers’ education and teacher’ salary, this factsheet portrays the profile of teachers in India. It also presents the financing status of school education in India.

    India | Education Fact Sheet
    1. Download

Fund further and higher education and research

  1. Fighting the commercialisation of education 30 July 2024

    The fight for public education and universities in present-day Argentina

    Yamile Socolovsky

    Public education in Argentina is under threat from a political agenda that has made its way into the national government and aims to – in the words of President Javier Milei himself – “destroy the state from within”. Arguing that the state is a “criminal organisation” that attacks freedom (of...

    Read more The fight for public education and universities in present-day Argentina
  2. Fighting the commercialisation of education 3 July 2024

    Shifting the burden: How an employer levy could transform Higher Education financing in the UK

    Higher education contributes over £70 billion to the United Kingdom's economy. However, despite this significant contribution, the current funding model relies heavily on student debt repayment over up to 40 years, often resulting in government losses.

    Read more Shifting the burden: How an employer levy could transform Higher Education financing in the UK
  3. Go public! Fund education 22 May 2024

    Universities at the turning point: Go Public! Fund Education

    More public funding of Higher Education is crucial for advancing global knowledge and innovation. Countries investing robustly in education often lead in Research & Development, driving forward their economies and societal advancements.

    Read more Universities at the turning point: Go Public! Fund Education
  4. Go public! Fund education

    Higher Education Funding across the Globe

    An Overview on Funding of Higher and Further Education and Research, its Political and Socio-Economic Causes, and some Consequences, across the Globe
    15 May 2024

    This paper offers an overview on funding of higher and further education across the globe. Drawing on the best available comparative data, it shows how education is funded in different ways. It discusses, for example, how much different countries spend on higher education, how spending has changed over time, how...

    Higher Education Funding across the Globe
    1. Research Paper
    2. Summary
  5. Standards and working conditions 26 April 2024

    Argentina marches for public education

    Thousands of people across Argentina rallied in defence of a fundamental pillar of their education system: public universities. Faced with a drastic budget cut of 70 percent and inflation of around 300 percent, the country’s public universities are in serious financial trouble.

    Read more Argentina marches for public education
more: Fund further and higher education and research

Making the case for public education

  1. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 16 November 2024

    Standing up for quality public education on International Students' Day

    Ruth Thornton, Shamna Abdul Kareem, Dilara Keven, Marina Mata, Mairead Howley

    International Students’ Day, celebrated on 17th November, has long been associated with student activism against human rights’ violations . This year we, a group of students and recent graduates, feel compelled to draw attention to the perilous position of the right to education worldwide – with public education underfunded and...

    Read more Standing up for quality public education on International Students' Day
  2. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 23 September 2024

    Teachers at the heart of global sustainability: a call for urgent reform

    Rachel Wilson

    There's so much happening around the globe that it's easy to miss significant announcements. Back in February, an urgent and impactful report was released that has flown under the radar for many. While immediate global crises demand our attention, this story shines a light on a crucial yet overlooked issue....

    Read more Teachers at the heart of global sustainability: a call for urgent reform
  3. Future of work in education 22 April 2024

    ISTP 2024: Empowering teachers to shape equitable futures

    The 14th International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) is taking place in Singapore, from April 22-24, bringing together education ministers and leaders from education unions across 19 countries.

    Read more ISTP 2024: Empowering teachers to shape equitable futures
  4. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 21 April 2024

    Bringing governments and education unions together

    David Edwards

    For the well-being of students, our communities and our countries, governments must increase investment in public education systems, including quality teacher training and professional development, guarantee labor rights and good working conditions, involve teacher unions in policymaking and trust and respect teachers and their professional expertise.

    Read more Bringing governments and education unions together
  5. Standards and working conditions 27 February 2024

    Education Voices | Unpacking the High-Level Panel Recommendations

    Manal Hdaife

    Manal Hdaife is a school principal and chair of the Education International Arab Countries Cross Regional Structure Committee, deeply committed to advancing the cause of education in Lebanon. With a career dedicated to promoting teachers' rights and enhancing educational standards, Hdaife has emerged as a key advocate for public education...

    Read more Education Voices | Unpacking the High-Level Panel Recommendations
more: Making the case for public education

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