Ei-iE

Leading the profession

Teachers and education support personnel know what works in education. They must be recognised and empowered to deliver on the promise of quality education for all.

At the classroom level, academic freedom and professional autonomy are prerequisites for quality teaching and learning. As professionals, teachers must be afforded the space and trust to make the best possible decisions for their students.

Beyond the classroom, education policy must be informed by the vast experience and insights only education professionals can provide. We advocate for the involvement of teachers, education support personnel and their representative organisations in all decision-making in education and work towards the expansion of sectoral policy dialogue at all levels and in all countries.

Our work in this area

  1. News 10 March 2025

    Serbia: Union organizing results in more funding, lower tuition fees, and fairer salaries in higher education

    In a landmark move, Serbia has announced significant reforms to its higher education system, promising a brighter future for both educators and students. These changes, hailed as a victory for teacher unions and student activists, mark a pivotal moment in the country's educational landscape.

    Serbia: Union organizing results in more funding, lower tuition fees, and fairer salaries in higher education
  2. News 5 March 2025

    United States: Massive day of action to protect children’s right to quality education!

    On March 4th, educators, students, parents and community allies stood up against assaults on public education and on opportunity for America’s youth. They called on lawmakers to strengthen, not undermine, local public schools and the services they provide to children, families and communities. Over 2,000 union events were held and...

    United States: Massive day of action to protect children’s right to quality education!
  3. News 26 February 2025

    Romania: The union struggle to improve the quality of education continues

    Despite financial challenges and teacher shortages in Romania, decisive union initiatives and significant reforms are underway to improve the quality of education. The Federation of Free Education Unions (FSLE) is sparing no effort to overcome obstacles and ensure students and teachers have a better future.

    Romania: The union struggle to improve the quality of education continues
  4. News 21 February 2025

    Palestine: International solidarity strengthens early childhood educators’ professional skills and their union

    With the purpose of enhancing the professional skills of early childhood educators in Palestine, the General Union of Workers in Kindergarten and Private Schools (GUWKPS) organized a series of four union-sponsored, half-day workshops focused on “trauma-informed education.” This training for Palestinian kindergarten teachers, focused on providing them with tools to...

    Palestine: International solidarity strengthens early childhood educators’ professional skills and their union
  5. News 20 February 2025

    A promising future for education in Senegal: tackling the teacher shortage

    Faced with a serious shortage of teachers in the country, Senegalese education unions affiliated to Education International, grouped within the Union Syndicale pour une Éducation de Qualité (USEQ) – a trade union coalition for quality education – welcomes the government’s decision to recruit graduates into the profession on an immediate...

    A promising future for education in Senegal: tackling the teacher shortage
  6. News 20 February 2025

    Germany: Education unions united to save remedial classes for primary schools

    In a controversial move, the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) state government plans to eliminate remedial classes from the primary school curriculum. This decision has been met with strong opposition from the Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW) NRW and the Verband Bildung und Erziehung (VBE) NRW, arguing that this “grave mistake” is...

    Germany: Education unions united to save remedial classes for primary schools
  7. News 14 February 2025

    A call for reform in Iraqi Kurdistan’s education system

    A pressing and persistent issue has been brought to light by the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU): The excessive number of holidays in the academic calendar has significantly disrupted the educational process, leaving both teachers and students struggling to keep up with the curriculum.

    A call for reform in Iraqi Kurdistan’s education system
  8. News 10 February 2025

    Iraq: The Unified Retirement Law: A step towards improving retirees’ lives and creating job opportunities

    In a significant step towards achieving social justice and equality among retirees, the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq recently announced the implementation of the Unified Retirement Law No. 9 of 2014. The Kurdistan Teachers Union (KTU) welcomes this long-awaited decision which not only improves the conditions of retirees but also...

    Iraq: The Unified Retirement Law: A step towards improving retirees’ lives and creating job opportunities
  9. News 4 February 2025

    Zambia launches “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign to address critical challenges in education

    To boost public education in the country, Zambia has officially launched the Education International (EI) “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign in Lusaka. This initiative, led by Education International Africa (EIA), aims to address the critical challenges facing the national public education system and ensure that every child has access to...

    Zambia launches “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign to address critical challenges in education
  10. News 29 January 2025

    Guyana: Education union urges government to go public and fund education

    On International Day of Education, January 24th, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) launched Education International's (EI) Go Public! Fund Education campaign in their country. They are calling on their government to guarantee labour rights and ensure good working conditions, as well as manageable workloads and competitive salaries for teachers and...

    Guyana: Education union urges government to go public and fund education
  11. News 29 January 2025

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines join the “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign!

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) became the first country in the Caribbean to join the “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign during a two-day workshop held by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers' Union (SVGTU), Education International (EI), and the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT).

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines join the “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign!
  12. News 28 January 2025

    Belgium : unions oppose plan that worsens working conditions for teachers

    A teaching profession suffering from burn out and from significant staff shortages. An undervalued non-profit sector. Demotivated, undervalued, and disrespected, teachers are advising their own children not to join the profession they have been passionately committed to for decades. These are the main issues for which teachers in Belgium have...

    Belgium : unions oppose plan that worsens working conditions for teachers
  13. News 27 January 2025

    Cape Verde: Parliamentary consensus to enhance the education workers’ status

    "The International Day of Education 2025 should be remembered as a milestone of achievements for the teaching profession, reflecting the dignity and recognition of its importance." This was the message of hope and determination to the nation's educators and society at large delivered by Abraão Borges, the president of SIPROFIS,...

    Cape Verde: Parliamentary consensus to enhance the education workers’ status
  14. Research

    The Global Status of Teachers 2024

    Dr. Ben Arnold, Dr. Mark Rahimi
    23 January 2025

    The Global Status of Teachers report provides a global and regional analysis of the status and conditions of the teaching profession by representing the views of teacher unions worldwide.

    The Global Status of Teachers 2024
    1. Research
  15. Worlds of Education 23 January 2025

    Addressing the teacher shortage crisis: A Global Imperative

    Dr. Ben Arnold, Dr. Mark Rahimi

    The Global Status of Teachers 2024 (GST) report highlights a stark reality: teacher shortages constitute a crisis with profound implications for education systems in many countries. Drawing on insights from 204 teacher unions across 121 countries, the report provides an overview of the current challenges and opportunities facing the profession.

    Addressing the teacher shortage crisis: A Global Imperative
  16. News 20 January 2025

    Canada : Quebec teaching staff demand that negotiations be sped up

    Around 450 teachers from Northern Quebec went on strike until January 21st to express their exasperation because negotiations with employers have come to a standstill. They want their demands to be heard and for them to produce concrete results.

    Canada : Quebec teaching staff demand that negotiations be sped up
  17. News 10 January 2025

    France: Joint union action to acknowledge education support staff

    We are against education personnel having to work in precarious jobs and who are being sacrificed and ignored. This was the slogan put forward by the inter-union alliance, which has called for a strike on January 16th, in support of SEN teaching assistants and education support assistants. Unions are asking...

    France: Joint union action to acknowledge education support staff
  18. News 18 December 2024

    Season's greetings to our Education International family!

    As we reflect on the year, we celebrate the dedication and hard work of our member organizations. They have been relentless in their commitment to improve the living and working conditions of teachers and education support personnel globally.

    Season's greetings to our Education International family!