Cameroon: teacher union involved in quality education initiative
The Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement et de la recherche(FESER) one of EI’s national affiliates, participated in the 4th Aflatoun – a network of organisations interested in education –“Building Blocks for Life” International Meeting, which took place from 1 to 3 July 2013 in Nairobi, Kenya. Hosted and organised in association with Investing in Children and their Societies, a Dutch development organisation, the event marked the Aflatoun network’s efforts to reach 10 million children in 120 countries by 2015.
Advocating for social and financial education
This biennial meeting brought together 200 stakeholders and Aflatoun partners from 90 countries around the world to connect, share experiences, and exchange ideas on how to take the Child Social and Financial Education movement further.
Alongside traditional partners, new stakeholders, including representatives of governmental institutions (education ministries, institution providing teacher training, and institutes for curriculum development), representatives of teacher unions, representatives of central banks and bankers associations, and opinion leaders, joined the organisation.
Currently, 2 million children and youth in 101 countries benefit from Aflatoun’s programme. The programmes aim to help children aged between 3 and 18 to think critically, learn about rights and responsibilities, and gain the financial skills that will enable them to achieve their dreams. They provide children and young people with the building blocks for life.
Aflatoun also unveiled and launched new programs: Aflatot for pre-school, the Aflateen platform for E-learning, the social and financial education module for UNICEF.
Teacher unions’ voice listened to
FESER representative Roger Kaffo Fokou attended the meeting as a Francophone Africa’s representative in the Aflatoun’s Executive Board.
“This meeting marks the official commitment to move towards innovative partnerships,” noted Kaffo. “As such, teachers' unions and their members have appeared for the first time as a genuine opportunity for the organisation's ambition to maintain a steady growth, mindful of quantity as well as quality.”
“EI welcomes all initiative aiming at providing quality education for all,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen. “Educators worldwide must see their professional voice heard and partner with civil society organisations to guarantee every child’s basic right to education.”
He added that EI firmly believes in education as a way to empower people and achieve global citizenship.
