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).
The workshop for SVGTU executive members, held from January 20 and 21, was an opportunity to present the campaign’s objectives and develop advocacy plans to support the union as it organizes to address the teacher shortage, empower members, and ensure full funding of public education.
Prioritize education for the future
Oswald Robertson, president of the SVGTU, welcomed the “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign and the workshop, which, he was confident, will benefit the union's members: “It is really a great pleasure for us to launch this very important initiative. Our teachers will benefit from it, and so will the students, the nation as a whole. Because education is the key to sustainable development.”
He added: “Quality is fundamental to what we do. Whereas sometime the employer talks about quantity, quality must be embedded.”
He went on to stress that teacher salaries are very low. “In fact, we will be getting a 2.5% raise at the end of this month, but half of that has already gone into taxes and other financial burdens imposed by the government.”
Go Public! Fund Education is an urgent call for governments to invest in public education, a fundamental human right and public good, and to invest more in teachers, the single most important factor in achieving quality education.
SVGTU General Secretary Ketty Kydd-Rhynd echoed the presidential comments.
“I consider ‘Go Public! Fund Education’ to hold significant potential for the SVGTU and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. By boosting morale and sense of ownership among individual members, this initiative can rebrand the SVGTU as a more dynamic, forward-thinking organization, committed to enhancing its services to educators and the wider community. As SVG continues to position itself as a flagship for change, this campaign could serve as a transformative step toward prioritizing education and empowering those who shape its future.”
SVGTU General Secretary Ketty Kydd-Rhynd
“The ‘Go Public! Fund Education’ campaign is an initiative by Education International urging governments worldwide to invest in public education,” SVGTU Executive Committee member Reba Cozier said. “The SVGTU has partnered with EI and CUT to launch this campaign in SVG to advocate for teachers in critical areas, including better working conditions and salaries. Through this partnership we will be able to strengthen the public education system in SVG.”
Need to implement the Recommendations of the United Nations on the Teaching Profession
Participants also acknowledged the need to implement the recommendations issued by the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession. These 59 recommendations represent an opportunity to effect real change for teachers and students.
For SVGTU Assistant General Secretary Tishanna Reid, “the ‘Go Public! Fund Education’ campaign and the United Nations’ recommendations advocate for equitable, quality public education. They will help unions promote better funding, working conditions and professional respect, and enable educators to deliver effective teaching. Together they ensure education systems prioritize inclusiveness and sustainability and recognize teachers as essential contributors to societal progress.”
SVGTU Public Relations Officer Fiona Charles Williams stressed: “The ‘Go Public! Fund Education’ campaign and the UN recommendations add an international layer to the SVGTU concerns with regards to its members and the national education standards. As a multi-island state, it is important that we meet the needs of our members. The ‘Go Public!’ campaign, along with the UN recommendations offers a platform for the future of education in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.”
CUT: Investing in public schools, ensuring a democratic future
The President of the Caribbean Union of Teachers, Garth Anderson, was also in the country to support the initiative.
“Public education is not merely an institution. It is the backbone of every society. It embodies our civic values and ideals. It ensures that every child has access to quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances. When we invest in public schools, we invest in the future of our communities and indeed in the democratic tradition. Now I want you all to think about this. How many of you can recall a teacher who made a significant impact on your life? I am sure all of us. Teachers are the most crucial factor in achieving quality education for all.”
Garth Anderson, President of the Caribbean Union of Teachers
EI: Immediate action required to counter global teacher shortage
As EI Campaign Manager Angelo Gavrielatos explained, the teacher shortage “a crisis that requires immediate action”: “Large or small, rich or poor countries, all are affected. There is a 44 million teacher shortage. In sub-Saharan Africa, the shortage is 15 million, but it is not an African problem anymore. In Europe and North America, 4.8 million additional teachers are needed by the end of the decade.”
Watch the television news reporting on the “Go Public!” launch in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines here:
He went on noting that, “in Latin America and the Caribbean, the teacher shortage or additional teachers required by the end of the decade is estimated to be 3.2 million. But in these regions, the teacher shortage issue becomes even more complicated, because of the loss of teachers, the brain drain, the poaching of teachers from our cousins up North and those further afield.”
For more information about Go Public! Fund Education worldwide, click here.
