All teachers and education support personnel have the right to organise and be part of a union that represents and defends their values and interests. However, around the world, education unions are facing serious attacks and operate in increasingly challenging and hostile environments. Revitalising unions, building their power by boosting membership and active participation and maximising impact is the way forward.
Education International fully supports its Brazilian affiliate, the Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Educação, in its denunciation of a newly elected parliamentarian’s attempt to shackle teachers’ freedom of speech.
Education trade union community strongly condemns the persecution of educators in Brazil
I am heartbroken and concerned. I am heartbroken because last saturday, as members of the Tree of Life congregation in Pittsburgh celebrated the Sabbath, an armed man entered the Temple and shot on those there as he made anti-semitic statements, murdering eleven people who had come keep the holy day,...
“It is time to stop hate and bigotry and teachers should lead”, by Fernando M. Reimers
The teachers’ union FECODE has reported the murder to various government bodies and demands that action be taken to investigate the case and prosecute those responsible.
Colombia: unions demand Government action following the murder of an indigenous teacher
The five most representative education unions in the Democratic Republic of Congo have put out a joint appeal for strike action to take place between November 5 and November 12, with clear support from educators, to express the high level of dissatisfaction of the county’s teachers.
DRC: United trade union front calls strike in education
Education International’s Executive Board has named Jalila al Salman, a lifelong teacher and trade unionist who has dedicated her life to education, and to representing teachers in Bahrain, as the recipient of the Mary Hatwood Futrell Human and Trade Union Rights Prize for her outstanding engagement and courage in promoting...
Bahraini education unionist Jalila al Salman given EI’s Mary Hatwood Futrell Award
A student gunman killed fifteen fellow students and five teachers and wounded dozens of people during his attack at Kerch technical college in Crimea.
Crimea: Education International saddened by brutal bomb and gun attack
The leadership of Education International (EI) is applauded for demonstrating that education Unions are well placed to contribute to the elimination of child labour and promote quality education for all. It is important to look back and draw strength from these achievements as EI celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2018.
#EI25: “Experiences and gains in fighting child labour”, by Juliet Wajega (UNATU, Uganda)
Education International has joined the International Federation of Journalists and supported the calls made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet urging the Governments of Saudi Arabia and Turkey to investigate the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Education unionists add their voice in defence of freedom of expression
Education International is deeply concerned by local reports indicating that Iranian public authorities responded to a nationwide strike of teachers and education support personnel in primary and secondary schools by expelling teachers from schools and arresting education union leaders.
Iran: Solidarity with trade union leaders arrested after teachers’ strike
The Executive Board of Education International has issued a statement condemning the crimes perpetrated against girls in a private school in Liberia operated by the charity More Than Me.
Liberia: EI condemns crimes against girls at the US charity operated school More than Me
The killing of two teachers has led to union calls on the government to act now to avoid more deaths of teachers posted to areas affected by conflict and violence.
Kenya: Teacher deaths raise concerns over system of conflict area postings
On the occasion of World Teachers Day, October 5th, Education International presented ‘25 Lessons on Education and Democracy’. The 25 lessons learned are linked to the 25 years of the existence of Education International.
25 Lessons on Education and Democracy
Education International has endorsed the complaint lodged by United States (US) trade unions concerning the US “zero tolerance” immigration policy systematically and forcibly separating immigrant children from their parents, for the purposes of prosecuting parents for “illegal entry” in the country.
Stop the US “zero tolerance” immigration policy harmful to children and their families!
The Syndicat Libre des Travailleurs de l'Enseignement du Burundi (STEB) has been able to train 360 new union leaders throughout the country with financial support from Education International.
Burundi: Despite the crisis, STEB has been able to develop the skills of new union leaders
At the 16th Meeting of the Comité Syndical Francophone de l’Education et de la Formation (Francophone Trade Union Committee for Education and Training), the Education International General Secretary, David Edwards, called on all French-speaking affiliates to defend democracy, human rights and trade union rights, to fight privatisation, and to strive...
Francophone education unions, the driving force of democracy, the guardians of public education and union solidarity
In September, Education International’s workshops aiming to improve education quality through stronger social and policy dialogue in the education sector were held in Uganda and Malawi.
Building education unions’ capacity for social and policy dialogue in Uganda and Malawi
Education International urges the World Bank to radically change its approach, which is damaging to workers, democracy and the future of our societies.
EI on the World Development Report: “One must have a vision to have hope”
Education International firmly condemns the attack on a teacher in Argentina.
Argentina: Teachers Face Torture and Threats