Ei-iE

As part of the Global Unions Tsunami Solidarity (GUTS) programme, co-operating partners including EI launched the Tsunami Skills Development and Vocational Training project in the Aceh province in Indonesia. A Manpower Training Centre was set up in this area most affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami, and the centre aims...

EI affiliate in Indonesia, thePersatuan Guru Republik Indonesia(Teachers' Association of the Republic of Indonesia) - PGRI, has won the case in the Constitutional Court to increase public education budget from the present 8.1% to 20% as according to the constitution.

As part of EI's Tsunami Rehabilitation Programme in partnership with NOVIB (Oxfam Netherlands) to restore education back in the areas affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in Dec 2004, the first school has been reconstructed and refurbished.

EI sent a letter to the ILO Labour Standards Deputy Director voicing its concern about the violation of human rights by the Nepalese government. In the letter, EI informed the Deputy Director that 20 teacher and union leaders were detained during a crackdown of a general strike on 6 Apr.

EI is very concerned about the rising instability in Nepal, where citizens are the victims of repression against Maoist opponents and supporters of democracy. Since 6 Apr, Nepalese citizens have been rallying peacefully everywhere in the country to call for the return to democratic governance, but the excessive use of...

Next week, teachers' unions and NGOs worldwide will request governments to ensure that all children get the chance to be taught by qualified teachers.

A former president of EI affiliate the National Union of Teachers broke down in tears yesterday as he revealed how stress and "government bullying" had forced him to quit the teaching profession.

The new issue of EI's bulletin on GATS and the WTO, TradEducation, has just been published. In this issue, we talk about the New Zealand government spearheading an effort to open up their private higher education "market", EI's meeting with key WTO negotiators and rules on domestic regulations.

With Global Action Week on Education almost upon us, world leaders are under pressure to make a move on education sector commitments. As part of the Global Action Week campaign, EI President Thulas Nxesi yesterday called on governments worldwide to translate words into actions and to spend more on education.

EI recently commisioned an article by Ugandan journalist about the everyday life of local teachers. To give the world an insight into the hardships and challenges faced by teachers in the impoverished country, Harriette Athieno Onyalla met with several of them, who told her of the hopes and disappointments they...

EI issued a formal letter to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia on 4 Apr, protesting against the ruling of the Ethiopian Federal High Court on 30 March to recognise the government-sponsored Ethiopian Teacher Association instead of the authentic Ethiopian Teacher Association affiliated to EI.

EI affiliate the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has called on its members to brace for a nationwide strike should the Government fail to implement the remaining phase of their salary increase scheme.

More than 5,000 temporary teachers have been permanently absorbed by the Limpopo education department with effect from the beginning of April.

Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun caused a sensation among teachers, saying “It is the teacher who is the most strongly opposed to social change.” at a gathering with Korean compatriots in Egypt.

EI held a series of meetings with the officials and negotiators of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as services negotiations resumed in Geneva this week. Monique Fouilhoux, EI’s education and employment co-ordinator, was joined by representatives of affiliates from Australia, Canada, and Denmark.

EI witnessed another dramatic development affecting teachers and their union in Ethiopia. On Thursday 30 March 2006, the Ethiopian Federal High Court ruled that the authentic ETA leadership (EI's affiliate) has to hand over every asset and property of the association to a government-sponsored group also called ETA.

On the occasion of the consultations held with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington DC, USA, from 27 to 31 March 2006, EI Deputy General Secretary Elie Jouen also took part in the meeting of the TUAC group on economic issues, which was responsible for...

After several weeks of locking horns with government negotiators, officials of EI affiliate the Bahamas Union of Teachers have instructed public school teachers to go on "work to rule" and threatened that more serious action could follow.