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With a new administration vowing to “build back better” from the public health, education, and economic crises of the Trump era, the two largest US educators’ unions, both Education International affiliates, have a shared agenda to ensure students and school communities receive the support they need for recovery and renewal.

Deepening inequalities across the education sector were revealed at a recent Education International webinar. Affiliates shared experiences of working to improve the terms and working conditions of teachers, academics, and education support personnel. The webinar aimed to inform Education International’s work in this area during the current public health crisis.

On 22 March, teachers engaged in a three-day general strike to demand a pay increase and better living conditions. This strike was punctuated with massive protests near the Education Ministry headquarters in the capital city, Nouakchott, and in the various provinces.

My friend and colleague and one of the education giants of our time, Mary Hatwood Futrell, wrote this on the passing of Nelson Mandela in 2013: “We pause to mark the distance we’ve come and keep focus on what’s yet to cover. One thing seems certain as the need for...

The Fédération nationale des enseignants du Congo/Union Nationale des Travailleurs du Congo (FENECO/UNTC) has closed the end of its online Trade Union Academy on the fundamentals of trade unionism.

While the COVID-19 crisis is still raging, the Gewerkschaft Öffentlicher Dienst (GÖD) of Austria and the German Verband Bildung und Erziehung (VBE) have pointed out that an increasing number of children with chronic illnesses are attending schools. The unions have urged their respective public authorities to hire more health professionals...

Vaccinating and providing free COVID-19 tests for teachers were just two of the recommendations presented to the Health Minister by the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU).

With schools closed for one year in the Philippines, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) has criticised President Duterte for being the biggest obstacle to the realisation of the youth’s right to education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attacks from armed groups against schools and students have been increasing in the last months in Nigeria, where kidnapping for ransom is a widespread criminal enterprise. Nigerian authorities must act swiftly to protect the right to education of children, especially girls.

During its virtual meeting from 23-25 February, the Education International Africa Regional Committee (EIARC) urged regional governments to act swiftly to ensure decent living and working conditions for educators. Proactive measures were needed to guarantee quality education on the continent in the face of challenges including the pandemic, terrorism, and...

The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced many of the issues put together by the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) for its 2021 list of national demands.

Training sessions by the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU) have participants wanting more training – and generated more participants! This year alone, the KTU has trained 54 teachers on teaching methods related to new technologies and remote teaching and learning. This successful training endeavour is part of its programme of training...

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.

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.