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[Update] Education International is calling on workers and unionists to urge the Jordanian authorities to immediately stop harassing the leaders of the Jordanian Teachers Association (JTA) and threatening its very existence. At least 18 JTA teacher unionists were arrested in Irbid, Jordan on Monday 15 February.

Education unions in the Pacific region have stepped in to support Fijian colleagues in a country devastated by two tropical cyclones in December and January.

Academic freedom is in a dire state globally, according to attendees at the recent International Further and Higher Education and Research Conference (IFHERC). Organised virtually by Education International, the conference also expressed its solidarity with harassed and imprisoned academics worldwide, especially in Myanmar and Hong Kong.

The Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU) has moved forward with its programme aiming to equip educators with the necessary skills to use new teaching methods related to new technologies and remote teaching and learning.

The Federaçao Caboverdiana dos Professores (FECAP) in Cape Verde is campaigning to provide educators with sufficient tools to fight the COVID-19 outbreak and gender-based violence in education institutions.

The Myanmar Teachers’ Federation (MTF) is engaging in civil disobedience along with others to protest the military coup of Monday, 1 February. The MTF and other unions issued statements condemning the coup and called for the release of arrested political leaders.

The Afghanistan Teacher Support Association (ATSA) has mobilised to get the national government authorities to fulfil their promise to increase teachers’ salaries and grant them land for their homes.

Education International (EI) joins the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in demanding freedom for jailed Egyptian journalist Ahmed Khalifa.

Indian education unionists have expressed grave concerns about the increase in the number of teachers affected by COVID-19 in Delhi. The unions have highlighted the need to protect educators and students’ health and safety.

The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has urged Malaysian public authorities to ensure the health and safety of educators delivering presential teaching to public examination students. This call comes after 11 teachers were infected with COVID-19 in the eastern state of Terengganu.

Education was already deteriorating in Kurdistan before the pandemic, according to the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU). It has called for increased investments in education.

While remote education has resumed in 2021, German education unions are calling on public authorities to support educators’ outstanding performance in ensuring access to quality education for all and well-organised and designed exams.

French education unions have called for a more robust and effective health policy as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. They are also seeking a recognition and improvement of educators’ working and living conditions.

Despite the enormous efforts and sacrifices made by our teachers and education staff, children and young people’s learning has inevitably suffered hugely from the disruption of the pandemic.

As classes resumed across Mexico on 11 January, the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) took the opportunity to reiterate that educators are crucial to maintaining a sound education process and quality education despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Classes are being delivered remotely through the Learn at Home programme.

Education International is joining with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to express solidarity with Cambodian union leader Rong Chhun prior to his trial on 15 January.

Education International joins other global union federations and the International Trade Union Confederation in welcoming the release of Hong Kong’s top union leader from jail and condemning the continuous harassment of trade unionists, including in the education sector, by public forces.

The National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have reacted to the 6 January’s assault in Washington DC, where rioters encouraged by President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building during a joint session of Congress to certify the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.