Ei-iE

Di kami titigil! – We will never stop until we achieve quality education for all in the Philippines! This is the rallying slogan used by the National Alliance of Teachers and Office Workers (SMP-NATOW) to galvanise teachers, students and communities who took action on 7 September.

The call was made by SMP-NATOW Secretary General Milagros Ogalinda during an interview that was televised nationwide. SMP-NATOW is a national affiliate of Education International (EI).

Unite march

On the same day, her union, along with 500 teachers and union members from other EI Philippines’ affiliates, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), the Federation of Free Workers – Trade Federation VII (FFW), the Philippine Public School Teachers’ Association (PPSTA) and the Teachers’ Organisation of the Philippine Public Service (TOPPS), marched with their flags, banners and advocacy shirts in a strong call to Unite for Quality Education in the Philippines.

This march highlighted the concerted actions of EI affiliates in the Philippines to support EI’s Unite for Quality Education campaign. This one-year campaign has highlighted that universal, free quality education must remain at the top of the global political agenda for a sustainable future after 2015.

Ogalinda emphasised the three pillars of quality education, i.e. quality teachers, quality teaching, and quality learning tools and environment.

“Among the three pillars, only quality teachers are present in the country - this is now at risk because many qualified teachers are opting to look at greener pastures elsewhere,” she explained. “The Government and other stakeholders must provide serious and concrete programmes aimed at achieving quality education in the country.”

EI: October focus on quality education

Unite for Quality Education was also the focus of a pledge made by Filipino and Asian teachers at the 7th EI Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in September 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Quality education will also be a key focus point during World Teachers’ Day, 5 October, when teachers around the globe will be celebrated in classrooms, villages, and cities for their tireless dedication to the profession.

To make October 5 a day to remember, EI is calling on all members and colleagues to take part by having their voices heard to ensure world leaders know how important a quality teacher is in helping students reach their full potential.

Beginning at 12:00 noon, EI is asking everyone to ‘Push the Button’ by emailing, texting, or tweeting your messages of support for quality education directly to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Click here for more information.