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.
On 22 March, teachers engaged in a three-day general strike to demand a pay increase and better living conditions. This strike was punctuated with massive protests near the Education Ministry headquarters in the capital city, Nouakchott, and in the various provinces.
Mauritania: Educators’ strike for pay increase and better living conditions
Despite harassment and violence by police forces, Moroccan teachers' unions continue to demonstrate in the capital city, Rabat, to demand permanent contracts and better working conditions. They are also protesting against the rising cost of living.
Morocco: Strikes and demonstrations demand better conditions for contract teachers
A Francophonie in action for peace, democracy, rights and freedoms.
Statement by the Francophone Trade Union Committee for Education and Training on the occasion of the International Francophonie Day March 20, 2021
Calling on all Trade Unions to ‘Step it up for a World of work free from violence and harassment’.
International Women’s Day 2021 | Statement of Global Union Federations for the Arab region
What a difference a year makes! If someone had told me on March 8th, 2020, that news cycles and my personal life would focus for a year on wearing masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, and vaccines, I would have been hard pressed to believe it. Without question, the Covid-19 pandemic...
“Take the Long View: Scaling the Staircase of Women’s Equality”, by Dianne Woloschuk.
Attacks from armed groups against schools and students have been increasing in the last months in Nigeria, where kidnapping for ransom is a widespread criminal enterprise. Nigerian authorities must act swiftly to protect the right to education of children, especially girls.
Nigeria: students and schools must be protected from attacks
During its virtual meeting from 23-25 February, the Education International Africa Regional Committee (EIARC) urged regional governments to act swiftly to ensure decent living and working conditions for educators. Proactive measures were needed to guarantee quality education on the continent in the face of challenges including the pandemic, terrorism, and...
Africa: Governments must act urgently to protect educators and build stronger education systems
Women’s leadership in the education sector was the focus of the Women in Leadership Summit organised in New Zealand by the Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA).
New Zealand: Trade union promotes women's leadership in the education sector
The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced many of the issues put together by the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) for its 2021 list of national demands.
Mexico: COVID-19 issues feature in SNTE demands
Update 9 March 2021 | As the military junta has escalated its use of undue force against peaceful protesters, Myanmar workers won’t let fear and violence silence them. They are determined to continue the peaceful civil disobedience movement against the illegal military junta. In a joint statement, Myanmar labour organisations...
General strike shuts down Myanmar
The Association of Iraqi Academics (AIA) has warned against the abrogation of the law allowing Iraqi academics to perform trade union activities. It has also called for solidarity with them and support for their rights of association and organisation.
Iraq: Academics’ freedom and trade union rights under attack
[Update] Education International is calling on workers and unionists to urge the Jordanian authorities to immediately stop harassing the leaders of the Jordanian Teachers Association (JTA) and threatening its very existence. At least 18 JTA teacher unionists were arrested in Irbid, Jordan on Monday 15 February.
Jordan: Education International condemns dissolution of teachers’ union and detention of leaders
Education unions in the Pacific region have stepped in to support Fijian colleagues in a country devastated by two tropical cyclones in December and January.
Fiji: Trade union solidarity as two cyclones hit Pacific island
Academic freedom is in a dire state globally, according to attendees at the recent International Further and Higher Education and Research Conference (IFHERC). Organised virtually by Education International, the conference also expressed its solidarity with harassed and imprisoned academics worldwide, especially in Myanmar and Hong Kong.
Education unions defend and promote academic freedom around the world!
The Myanmar Teachers’ Federation (MTF) is engaging in civil disobedience along with others to protest the military coup of Monday, 1 February. The MTF and other unions issued statements condemning the coup and called for the release of arrested political leaders.
Myanmar: Teachers’ union condemns military coup
The Afghanistan Teacher Support Association (ATSA) has mobilised to get the national government authorities to fulfil their promise to increase teachers’ salaries and grant them land for their homes.
Afghanistan: Education union demands end to teachers’ salary and homes crisis
Education International (EI) joins the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in demanding freedom for jailed Egyptian journalist Ahmed Khalifa.
Egypt: Falsely Accused Journalist Ahmed Khalifa Must be Released
After many years of public sector underfunding, the private tech sector has made inroads into virtually all public services. With the self-proclaimed aim to enhance the quality of public services, at a reduced cost and with greater efficiency, especially two sectors are rapidly expanding: Education Technology and Health Technology.
“Teaching with Tech: Why Education Unions Must Act Now To Have a Role in Shaping the Future”, by Christina J. Colclough.