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. Worlds of Education 2 June 2020

    "10 years of ISTP – what governments and unions can achieve together", by Andreas Schleicher and David Edwards

    David Edwards, Andreas Schleicher

    Ten years ago, Education International and the OECD began co-hosting with various countries an altogether unique, (somewhat unlikely) but critically necessary convening of ministers of education and heads of teachers’ unions. The purpose was to support an informed and honest policy dialogue between and among elected representatives of the teaching...

    "10 years of ISTP – what governments and unions can achieve together", by Andreas Schleicher and David Edwards
  3. News 19 May 2020

    South Africa: The safety of educators and students is of serious concern in the reopening of schools and colleges

    The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) has expressed grave concern at government plans to reopen schools and education institutions on 1 June. Urging the government to prioritise safety, the union has compiled preconditions and non-negotiable items to be met before any educators resume on-site teaching.

    South Africa: The safety of educators and students is of serious concern in the reopening of schools and colleges
  5. News 6 May 2020

    Burkina Faso: Health and safety issues to be addressed before schools reopen

    Teacher unions in Burkina Faso are urging public authorities to ensure that adequate safety measures are in place for students and educators before the reopening of schools scheduled for 11 May. The unions recognise that remote teaching and learning is not happening uniformly throughout the country and cannot replace education...

    Burkina Faso: Health and safety issues to be addressed before schools reopen
  6. News 30 April 2020

    Education International Guidance on Reopening Schools and Education Institutions

    As a growing number of countries are considering easing restrictions and gradually resuming onsite education, Education International stresses a set of five dimensions that should be considered by governments, in dialogue with educators and their unions, when planning this next phase of the response to the COVID-19 crisis in education.

    Education International Guidance on Reopening Schools and Education Institutions
  7. Publications

    EI Guidance to Reopening Schools and Education Institutions

    30 April 2020

    With schools and education institutions closed in a majority of countries, there are critical issues for governments to take into consideration, as countries gradually begin to re-open early childhood institutions, schools and higher education institutions. It is imperative that governments communicate transparently and continuously about the plans for reopening onsite...

    EI Guidance to Reopening Schools and Education Institutions
    1. Download
  10. Worlds of Education 25 March 2020

    “Handling the COVID-19 crisis in education: What can TALIS 2018 tell us?”, by John Bangs.

    John Bangs

    The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018 was released on the 23rd March. For the first time the OECD’s Education and Skills Director Andreas Schleicher presented the report remotely because of the Covid 19 crisis. The OECD had rightly taken the tough decision to release its report now before...

    “Handling the COVID-19 crisis in education: What can TALIS 2018 tell us?”, by John Bangs.
  11. Worlds of Education 23 March 2020

    “The need for strategy and teacher activism in transnational governance”, by Tore Bernt Sorensen.

    Tore Bernt Sorensen

    Today, the OECD launches “Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals” as the second volume of the TALIS 2018 Results. Being the largest international research programme focused on teachers and school leaders, TALIS is a prime example of how transnational education governance offers opportunities as well as challenges for educators...

    “The need for strategy and teacher activism in transnational governance”, by Tore Bernt Sorensen.
  12. News 23 March 2020

    OECD’s latest TALIS survey supports teachers and their profession

    Volume II of The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018 was released by the OECD today, 23 March 2020. Having contributed to the development of the survey, EI welcomes the findings and views them as a solid basis for discussions between education trade unions and policy makers.

    OECD’s latest TALIS survey supports teachers and their profession
  13. Publications

    Global framework of professional teaching standards

    Jointly developed by Education International and UNESCO
    4 November 2019

    The joint Education International/ UNESCO framework on the development of professional teaching standards aims to improve teacher quality, teaching and learning, as well as support the implementation and monitoring of the teacher target in the Education 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and specifically Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).

    Global framework of professional teaching standards
    1. Download
  14. Worlds of Education 24 October 2019

    #SABERexposed “The World Bank’s SABER: A Knowledge Source or an Ideologically-Honed Weapon to Compel Neoliberal Educational Reforms?”, by Mark Ginsburg and Steven Klees.

    Mark Ginsburg, Steve Klees

    The acronym for the World Bank’s Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) suggests two meanings. The first, based on a pronunciation with a short “a” sound and stress on the second syllable, calls to mind the Spanish term meaning knowledge (or to know). The second, based on a pronunciation...

    #SABERexposed “The World Bank’s SABER: A Knowledge Source or an Ideologically-Honed Weapon to Compel Neoliberal Educational Reforms?”, by Mark Ginsburg and Steven Klees.
  15. Worlds of Education 17 October 2019

    “Higher ambitions for education and copyright in Africa and the world”, by Mugwena Maluleke.

    Mugwena Maluleke

    African nations actively participated in the development of the Sustainable Development Agenda that acknowledged the centrality of education in the achievement of all other plans for a better world. Like other nations of the world, they committed to the provision of a single, renewed education agenda that is holistic, ambitious...

    “Higher ambitions for education and copyright in Africa and the world”, by Mugwena Maluleke.
  17. Worlds of Education 3 October 2019

    “Nothing about us without us: educators take the lead on professional teaching standards”, by David Edwards.

    David Edwards

    One of the most consequential debates and decisions of our 8th World Congress was on professional teaching standards. Congress passed a resolution supporting the implementation of a joint EI/UNESCO framework on the development of professional teaching standards where it is clear that teachers’ unions must be at the centre of...

    “Nothing about us without us: educators take the lead on professional teaching standards”, by David Edwards.
  18. Worlds of Education 26 September 2019

    Right to authorship, by Yamile Socolovsky

    Yamile Socolovsky

    Education International's decision to encourage discussion of an International Treaty concerning the exceptions and limitations to copyright for educational and research activities is both timely and necessary. The obstacles imposed on these activities by the excessively restrictive regulations in this area become remarkably difficult to overcome in the current context,...

    Right to authorship, by Yamile Socolovsky