Ei-iE

"No part of the world is immune from the threat posed by commercialisation and privatisation, not even the island nations of the Pacific. In the interest of our students, members and quality education for all, this needs to be a priority.”

This was the statement of Govind Singh, General Secretary of the Council of Pacific Education (COPE), to the leaders of Education International member organisations gathered in Nadi, Fiji to consider the commercialisation and privatisation of education across the Pacific.

Union leaders from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the Staff Union of the University of the South Pacific shared their national experiences and developed a deeper understanding of EI’s Global Response, during a meeting the on 6 and 7 August.

A research project aimed at mapping the trends of privatisation will be commissioned to inform the development of national campaign plans necessary to confront the threats posed by commercialisation and privatisation in education in their countries and strengthen inclusive and equitable quality free education for all.

EI's Global Response campaign is working with unions in different continents to affront the growing commercialisation and privatisation in and of education as it represents the greatest threat to the achievement of quality free public education for all.

The effects of commercialisation and privatisation have a serious impact on students, communities and public education systems. Education International has been using research as a guide to inform the campaign and create an accurate picture of trends, tendencies and outcomes.

Find out more about the campaign and research here.