Ei-iE

Twenty-three delegates from nine Education International member countries are in Washington, DC, this week as participants in the American Federation of Teachers’ biennial professional development conference, “Together Educating America’s Children,” also known as TEACH.

In a warm up for Education International (EI)’s 7th World Congress, from the 13-15 of July the leaders of unions from Kenya, New Zealand, Mexico, the U.K., Ireland, Georgia, Mexico, Israel and Chile are participating as well as presenting in sessions on the battle against privatisation and commercialisation in education, how to use TALIS in promoting quality teaching and learning, addressing the impact in our schools of growing child poverty, and participating in the Speak Truth to Power human rights video competition. The sessions are part of a program that offers 150 workshops and technical practicums as well as informative seminars by the American Federation of Teachers’ (AFT) national leaders and education experts in the United States.

American Federation of Teachers officers -- President Randi Weingarten, Secretary-Treasurer Lorretta Johnson, and Executive Vice President Mary Cathryn Ricker -- hosted an informal meeting to introduce the AFT’s guests at TEACH to the AFT’s 50-person Congress delegation. They had the opportunity to share priorities and compare perspectives on the key issues that will come before the Congress. There was an air of anxious anticipation for the policy debates that are expected on privatization, social justice, the impact of austerity economics on public services, early childhood education, trade agreements and vocational education.

“The timing of the EI Congress could not be better, as our unions and our teachers are under severe attack around the globe - north and south; we must use this Congress to mobilise our resources and assert our leadership in the fight forward to secure a quality public education for all youth” said Davanand Sinanan, member of the EI Executive Board from Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association.

Everyone agreed that the TEACH Conference provided for worthwhile collaboration in preparing for the 7th World Congress, which runs from the 22-26 July.