Fund education: An urgent appeal to the G7

Education International supports the following statement released ahead of the G7 Italy 2024 Ministerial meeting on Education, following an initiative of Federazione Lavoratori della Conoscenza (FLC-CGIL), concerned by the exclusion of education unions from this important convening:

Education International , the voice of teachers and education workers around the world, jointly with member organisations from G7 countries, supports the following statement released ahead of the G7 Italy 2024 Ministerial meeting on Education, following an initiative of Federazione Lavoratori della Conoscenza (FLC-CGIL), concerned by the exclusion of education unions from this important convening:

Unions play a fundamental role in addressing inequalities and ensuring equitable living conditions for all. We believe that meaningful and effective social dialogue in the education sector is crucial for promoting social cohesion, solidarity, and trust in public policies. For this reason, it is essential that workers' organisations have a voice in the decisions made by the G7 countries regarding education, especially during these critical times. Despite the requests from Italian education unions, we regret that trade unions have not been given the opportunity to contribute to this important event.

We therefore make the following demands for the Ministers of Education meeting in Trieste, Italy, on June 27, 28, and 29, 2024:

We call on G7 governments to meaningfully involve civil society and, in particular, labour organizations in discussions on education, as recommended by the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession.
We urge the G7 to end austerity, implement macroeconomic policies and reform global economic governance to strengthen state investment in public education.
We demand that the G7 promote peace, ensure respect for international humanitarian law and human rights, and curb the increase in military spending that too often comes at the expense of social spending.

As a fundamental human right and public good, education empowers individuals and communities, fostering holistic development and active citizenship. Teachers and education support personnel are vital to ensuring equitable and inclusive education for all. Hence, workers' organisations stress the need for engagement with G7 governments in making critical decisions for the education sector during these pivotal times.

Today, 400 million children around the world live in or flee from conflict zones. Since 2005, over 315,000 serious violations of children's rights in conflict areas have been recorded, with at least 120,000 children killed or maimed. As military forces in war zones demolish school buildings and universities, global military spending increased for the eighth consecutive year in 2022, reaching an estimated US$240 billion, the highest level ever recorded by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Governments around the world spent an average of 6.2 percent of their budgets on the military, or US$282 per person.

Meanwhile, for many years, austerity policies have negatively impacted public spending, particularly in vital sectors like education and health care. These policies have shown that a purely financial approach is harmful for the protection of human rights. Therefore, we echo the calls made by the Go Public! Fund Education campaign for increased state investment in public education and research, to combat inequality and support the right to education for all, irrespective of income or socioeconomic background. We advocate for free quality public education and oppose the privatisation and commercialisation of education. Education must be guaranteed by the state and equitably accessible to all. Inclusive education is a prerequisite for quality education, fostering global citizens, with the cognitive and socio-emotional skills to understand the world and live peacefully with respect for others.

The G7 education ministers must engage with teachers and their organizations now. We must ensure that no child is denied their right to education and that every teacher is valued in their essential role in society.

Sincerely,