All teachers and education support personnel have the right to organise and be part of a union that represents and defends their values and interests. However, around the world, education unions are facing serious attacks and operate in increasingly challenging and hostile environments. Revitalising unions, building their power by boosting membership and active participation and maximising impact is the way forward.
Education International calls on the government of Chile to immediately cease all aggression, suspend the state of emergency in all cities, and open avenues of dialogue with citizens in order to ensure conflict resolution.
Chile: Education International condemns political and military repression of anti-austerity protests
While Haiti’s political, economic and social situation has been deteriorating for months, recent weeks have been truly terrible, to the point that schools are now closed - a dramatic development given that without education, there can be no national development.
Haiti: reopening schools despite the dire situation is essential
The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) devoted the most recent edition of its magazine, “Perspectives” to education and democracy. It covers the challenges to democracy in Canada, North America and the world. It also reports on education initiatives that have been developed in Canada to support and re-enforce democratic values and...
“Education – Changing the World”, by David Edwards
Teaching is just like life: always full of surprises. Too often, however, these surprises give rise to frustration, disappointment and demotivation. But why, you might ask? It’s simple: education is one of society’s essential foundations and we all know that we must invest in it through well thought out and...
#youngteachers “To teach, is to commit”, by Khalid El Mahroug (SLFP, Belgium).
Today France Castro of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers received the Febe Velasquez Trade Union Rights Award for her brave and outstanding work in defence of human and trade union rights in the Philippines. The prize is awarded by Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging – the federation of Dutch trade unions.
Filipino teacher and trade union activist France Castro wins Febe Velasquez Trade Union Rights Award in the Netherlands
I have been working in the education sector for five years. It is not a long time but it is not a short time either. I have spent a lot of good time teaching students, cooperating with my colleagues and participating in trade union activities - the activities of The...
#youngteachers “Trade unions at your side!”, by Michal Horník (ČMOS-PS, Czech Republic).
In preparation for next year’s conference of the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU), an extended meeting of the KTU Executive Committee was convened, underlining the issues of democracy, gender equality and action against climate change.
Iraq: education union promotes internal democracy and gender equity and fights climate change
If you are passing through Glasnevin Cemetery on the outskirts of Dublin City Centre, you may come across the noticeable yet simple gravestone of James Larkin. Engraved on it is ‘James Larkin 1876-1947, The Labour Leader’. Larkin’s Gravestone may be simple but the legacy he left behind is much more...
#youngteachers “I owe my union activism to my students”, by Anthony Dowling (TUI, Ireland).
The United Nations established the International Day of Democracy on the 15th of September in 2007 to promote democracy. In 2019, it is clear that democracy and all the things that go with it like human rights and rule of law need to be defended as well as promoted. Education...
“Education on the International Day of Democracy”, by David Edwards.
While they welcomed the news that state sector primary education was to become completely free at the point of use when the government announced its decision to do away with school fees, teachers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have reiterated their concerns about teachers’ salaries and the need...
DRC: EI and its affiliates campaign for free public education
On Thursday 5 September in Bogotá, Colombia, member organisations of Education International Latin America (EILA) opened a regional meeting to share experiences and discuss rights violations in the education sector in Latin American countries. The meeting aims to establish a network for monitoring and reporting human and labour rights violations...
Latin America Discusses Rights Violations in the Education Sector
Education International (EI) members FECODE and ASPU have been targeted by paramilitary threats. Educators from around the world call on the Colombian government to do its duty: ensure the safety of educators and protect schools as territories of peace.
Colombia: EI condemns threats made against educators’ unions FECODE and ASPU
Commemorating the start of World War II, German educators have reiterated their commitment to the initiative on disarmament and peace education recently adopted by Education International and its affiliates.
Germany: stop public investment in arms, increase spending in quality education!
Crowning a global development cooperation initiative, the 4th Congress of the Organizaçao Nacional dos Professores modified the organisation’s constitution to become a trade union able to engage in social dialogue and improve teachers’ working and living conditions.
Mozambique: educators set up a trade union to open social dialogue and improve teachers’ conditions
Today representatives of Education International and other trade unions staged a protest in front of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade office in Brussels to stand against recent police brutality and human rights abuses perpetrated against the people of Hong Kong.
Educators for democracy and human rights: Education International joins Brussels protest in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong
The neoliberal doctrine of New Public Management (NPM) is the essential reference for education policies all over the world. It seeks to destroy the professional autonomy of teachers.
“Trade Union Action in a Country in Transition towards New Public Management” by Laurent Frajerman.
At its 30th Executive Council meeting, the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union emphasised the need for the Iraqi region’s public authorities to ensure quality teacher training, a quality education environment and counter the rampant privatisation in the sector.
Iraq: education union reaffirms commitment to quality public education for all in Kurdistan
Education International leadership attending the G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial meeting remind ministers that education has to be part of any meaningful long-term strategy to address our common challenges.
EI calls on Employment and Labour Ministers in G20 countries to refocus on education