Support for EI’s campaigns against privatisation and trade deals
Education International’s mandated campaigns against privatisation in education and detrimental trade agreements received high-level support by guest speakers at the third plenary of its 7thWorld Congress in Ottawa, Canada on 23 July. The conference runs until Sunday, 26 July.
Alarming privatisation trend
“We must resolutely stand up against privatisation in education which cripples universality of the right to education, aggravating marginalisation and exclusion in education, creating inequities in society,” said Kishore Singh, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education.
He also congratulated the EI Congress for passing its resolution (1.1) on Privatisation and Commercialisation in and of Education. “This is imperative in the face of the explosive growth of privatisation in education, which is making its intrusion at all levels in education. And the phenomenon of education as an attractive business is assuming alarming proportions, with scant control by public authorities.”
Anti-democratic trade deals
EI’s resolution (1.13) to Stop TTIP, TISA, CETA, TPP and Other Similar Trade and Investment Agreements was referenced by David Boys, Deputy General Secretary of Public Service International (PSI). He said PSI has also mobilised its members against these “so-called trade deals”. He continued: “These deals are a direct attack on democracy and will further extend corporatisation over public services.”
Both resolutions were carried at second plenary of Congress on 22 July and mandate the Executive Board to campaign at the highest levels against the trade deals and commercialisation of education.
