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Fighting the commercialisation of education

Education is a human right and a public good that can be fully realised only through the provision of free, equitable, inclusive, quality public education. The growing commercialisation and privatisation in and of the sector is the greatest threat to the universal right to education.

Across the world, corporate interests are striving to transform all levels of education, from early childhood to higher education, into yet another market with winners and losers. As private-sector management models are applied to education institutions, employment conditions in the sector are being undermined. As low-fee, low-quality private schools expand rapidly, there is a risk that governments abrogate their responsibility to ensure the right to education for all. Unaccountable corporations have undue influence on education policies and institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this trend which risks transforming education into a commodity, favouring profit over quality education.

As educators, we put students before profit. In 2015 we launched our Global Response to the Commercialisation and Privatisation of Education. Through this campaign, we work to expose and challenge the policies and practices of governments, intergovernmental organisations and international financial institutions which undermine public education and the rights and status of teachers and education support personnel. We also resist global corporate actors, especially education technology providers, who push the commercialisation and privatisation in and of education.

Our work in this area

  1. Worlds of Education 18 April 2023

    The global student movement demands tax justice for education!

    Hector Ulloa

    For decades the student movement has demanded quality, universal and free public education; however, student representatives have often seen their demands neglected by politicians hiding behind the excuse of insufficient available funding.

    The global student movement demands tax justice for education!
  2. News 17 April 2023

    Mongolia: FMESU demand just and fair salaries for teachers and education support personnel

    Thousands of education workers answered the call of the Federation of Mongolian Education and Science Unions (FMESU) and peacefully demonstrated on April 6th in Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar to demand increased salaries for teachers and education support personnel.

    Mongolia: FMESU demand just and fair salaries for teachers and education support personnel
  3. Worlds of Education 14 April 2023

    In defense of public education

    Randi Weingarten

    The present article reproduces excerpts from the speech given at the National Press Club on March 28, 2023.

    In defense of public education
  4. Worlds of Education 13 April 2023

    Go Public, Grow Public: Mobilize to Finance the Public Good

    David Edwards

    Today, at the midpoint of the unanimous commitment of the United Nations to set the world on a course of sustainable development by 2030, those Sustainable Development Goals are almost irretrievably off track.

    Go Public, Grow Public: Mobilize to Finance the Public Good
  5. News 17 February 2023

    Development cooperation backs up Arab education unions’ actions for democracy, gender equality and quality education

    Many development cooperation (DC) partners participated in the Education International (EI) Café at the EI Arab Countries Cross-Regional Structure (ACCRS). They received information on recent challenges and progress of education unions in the region.

    Development cooperation backs up Arab education unions’ actions for democracy, gender equality and quality education
  6. News 9 February 2023

    Uruguay: Trade unions denounce espionage of teachers and students

    Fenapes, an education union affiliated to Education International, has denounced the practice of spying on union members and school pupils, as revealed by an investigative journalism report.

    Uruguay: Trade unions denounce espionage of teachers and students
  7. Worlds of Education 3 February 2023

    We are education! Successful trade union strategies in Mexico

    Alfonso Cepeda Salas

    The Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) is one of the biggest education unions in the world. It currently represents more than 1.5 million active members at all levels of education and 700,000 retired teachers. Its mission is to defend public education and protect the rights of education...

    We are education! Successful trade union strategies in Mexico
  8. News 31 January 2023

    UK: Educators deserve a pay rise now!

    Education International and member organisations fully support the National Education Union (NEU), organising a one-day strike in England and Wales on February 1st to demand a fully funded, above inflation pay rise for educators.

    UK: Educators deserve a pay rise now!
  9. News 23 January 2023

    Go public! Fund Education: Education International launches new global campaign

    On 24 January 2023, International Day of Education, Education International is launching a new global campaign to fund public education and the teaching profession. The campaign Go public! Fund Education will support Education International´s member organisations in their fight against budget cuts, austerity, and privatisation, and as they mobilise to...

    Go public! Fund Education: Education International launches new global campaign
  10. Worlds of Education 23 January 2023

    Uruguay: The importance of a global campaign to defend public education

    José Olivera

    Latin America is the most unequal region in the world, with one of the highest rates of wealth concentration and the associated poverty and marginalisation affecting the majority of the region’s population. It also suffers from unequal income distribution, be it direct, through active or passive income, or indirect, through...

    Uruguay: The importance of a global campaign to defend public education
  11. News 23 January 2023

    Education unionists take stock of development cooperation in Asia-Pacific

    During a Development Cooperation (DC) Café on Asia-Pacific held on 12 January, DC partners learnt about the accomplishments in the region in partnership with member organisations. Anand Singh, Director of the Education International Asia-Pacific (EIAP) regional office, reported on priorities and challenges faced by the region as well as activities...

    Education unionists take stock of development cooperation in Asia-Pacific
  12. Worlds of Education 23 January 2023

    Senegal: Strong action needed for inclusive quality public education

    Marième Sakho Dansokho

    Is Senegal, the good student, cited as an example, a giant with feet of clay? With 25% of its budget allocated to education, i.e. more than 6% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), significant efforts are certainly being made, but for what result? There are more than 1,500,000 children out...

    Senegal: Strong action needed for inclusive quality public education
  13. Worlds of Education 14 December 2022

    The toxic influence of the private school system

    Florian Lascroux

    If there was free, quality state education throughout the world, the existence of private schools would probably not pose much of a problem. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the expansion of the private education system poses a big risk to universal schooling and quality education, foundations of an...

    The toxic influence of the private school system
  14. Worlds of Education 25 November 2022

    Sportswashing edtech: how a World Cup corporate sponsor is playing with education

    Ben Williamson

    Education technology companies do not usually sponsor global sports tournaments. The brand logo of Byju’s, however, is currently displaying in football grounds in Qatar, after becoming an official FIFA World Cup sponsor . But the most highly-valued EdTech company on the planet is also carrying a lot of recent reputational...

    Sportswashing edtech: how a World Cup corporate sponsor is playing with education
  15. Worlds of Education 24 November 2022

    The Copyright Experience of the University of the South Pacific: a Union Perspective

    Elizabeth Reade Fong

    Legislation is meant not only to protect but to bring equity. And copyright legislation is not meant to be any different. However, the reality on the ground in a developing country like Fiji has only reinforced the inequity of access to and, more importantly, the use of information for learning...

    The Copyright Experience of the University of the South Pacific: a Union Perspective
  16. News 4 November 2022

    From research to global action for quality public education

    Education International brought together over 100 leading researchers from education unions across the globe to explore how research can underpin union action for quality education.

    From research to global action for quality public education
  17. News 26 October 2022

    Francophone education unions want to put governments back on track to achieve quality education

    The Comité syndical francophone de l'éducation et de la formation (CSFEF), which brings together trade union representatives of French-speaking organisations affiliated to Education International, held its 18th CSFEF meeting in Hammamet, Tunisia, from 13 to 15 October. The debates focused, among other things, on the conditions for trade union activity,...

    Francophone education unions want to put governments back on track to achieve quality education