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EI
monthly monitor
Vol
6 N°5 May - June 1999
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| World Teachers’ Day 1999 |
“Education provides basic literacy, numeracy and initial learning skills, imparts higher levels of knowledge and learning abilities, along with life skills, serves as a socializing institution and passes on cultural, political and moral values” notes the ILO in a recent information package providing a statistical profile of the education sector.
With few exceptions, reports the Organisation, the OECD countries invest on average between 5 and 6% of GDP on education and training. Developing countries as a whole invest slightly over 4 % and the least developed nations less than 3%.
Education workers represent a significant part of each country’s formal sector labour force. According to UNESCO and ILO figures, the number of teachers worldwide exceeds 55 million, serving 1 billion students - nearly a fifth of the global population. In 1996, UNESCO predicted that 9 million more qualified teachers would be needed by the year 2000 to achieve the objectives of the Jomtien World Conference on Education for All.
Our Second World Congress carried unanimously a comprehensive resolution on the status of teachers ending with a mandate for EI to “ensure that public activities, including media events, are organised in as many countries as possible on World Teachers’ Day (5 October) focusing on the status of the teaching profession.”
World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity to highlight the concerns of teachers
and to pursue good and proven policies to ensure their status, security
and effectiveness. Education International therefore urges its affiliated
unions everywhere to honour their members and to address, through the celebration
of 5 October, the challenges they meet each day, in all countries whether
rich or poor.
| REGIONS |
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The biennial European Regional Conference was held in Luxembourg on 26 May 1999, with the President of the Regional Committee, Lars-Erik Klason (Lärarförbundet, Sweden), in the chair. In welcoming the delegates, he spoke of the strong development in policy formation and in coordination with ETUCE, the European Trade Union Committee for Education. At the same time, we were witnessing open warfare in Europe; EI/E deplored the lack of respect for human rights in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and believed that democratic trade unions were vital for the teaching of tolerance, rather than hatred. In his Report on Activities, EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen also spoke of progress made during the last two years. He drew attention to the decision of the EI Executive Board at world level to seek to examine future relationships with the World Confederation of Teachers (WCT). The Conference re-elected Lars-Erik Klason as President (unopposed) and Gjertrud Eggen (NL, Norway) and Charlie Lennon (ASTI, Ireland) as Vice-Presidents. Following the resignation of Jiri Valenta, he was replaced by Radovan Langer (CMOS-PS, Czech Republic). Five members of the Regional Committee were elected to represent countries outside the European Union and EFTA; in accordance with the EI/E By-laws (see EI Handbook), the members of the ETUCE Executive Board from EI member unions (from the EU and EFTA), elected at the ETUCE General Assembly on the following two days, will sit on the EI/E Committee. The report from Deputy General Secretary Sheena Hanley on Equality and Human & Trade Union Rights drew attention to work on a range of issues, including maternity protection, elimination of discrimination, the special session of the UN in June 2000 (Beijing+5), child labour and the proposed EI kit on Education for a Culture of Peace. A detailed report and action plan on work to help refugees from Kosovo, in cooperation with colleagues from Albania, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro and SBASHK, Kosovo was warmly welcomed. The first Summer school for the children of Kosovo opened 7 June in Albania. Deputy General Secretary, Elie Jouen reported in detail on the European dimension of the Campaign on Quality Public Education for All. The campaign will meet the challenge created by globalisation and privatisation of economies and pressures on public services and EI will work with like-minded agencies such as Oxfam International, Action Aid and ICFTU-ORIT. The Conference unanimously adopted a supporting resolution. Fred van Leeuwen introduced the proposed Action Programme for the coming two years, set out so that the responsibilities of EI/E are clearly delineated from those of ETUCE and with each item costed. For the first time since the creation of EI, the supplementary regional dues would increase and they would be calculated on the “GNP system” now adopted for world dues. The current rate of 2.21 BEF per member would be replaced by a maximum rate of 2.60 BEF in 2000 and 2001. Inevitably, delegates called for a wider range of activities and the General Secretary of EI pointed out that these would require either cutting agreed activities or generating new income. There was a strong wish in the Conference to obtain new funding to permit additional activities in the field of early childhood education. The Conference expressed its support for the Association of University Teachers (UK) in its strike to obtain salary increases. Some 200 delegates and observers from 68 affiliates in 38 countries took part in the Luxembourg Conference, which was followed by the (biennial) ETUCE General Assembly. |
Funds Mobilised by EI for Kosovo’s Children
An amount of US$ 1.5 million has been collected and will go toward education
services this summer for approximately 150,000 Kosovo children in Macedonian
and Albanian refugee camps. This assistance is the fruit of concerted efforts
of Education International, of the Union of Education, Science and Culture
of Kosovo (SBASHK), Macedonian and Albanian authorities, and of the Dutch
Development Cooperation and relief organisation Novib. It is intended to
enable Kosovo children to complete the 1998/1999 school year that was so
cruelly interrupted and begin a new one in September. SBASHK represents
some 26,000 educators (it is estimated that 7,000 are refugees in Albania
and Macedonia) and will manage the formidable task of registering and paying
Kosovo teachers as well as coordinating the collection and distribution
of school materials. The first Summer school opened 7 June in Albania
and others were about to start. This action is a good example of how EI
works towards fulfilling its goals of promoting education for all children,
defending the interests of educators worldwide, and providing assistance
to its member organisations. More information at http://www.ei-ie.org
First EI/E Adult Education Round Table draws trade unionists from 19 countries
Some 74 trade unionists representing EI/Europe affiliates from 19 countries
attended the Round Table on Adult Education hosted by our four Swedish
member unions 16-17 April 1999 in Stockholm (Sweden). The programme focused
on three main themes presented by guest speakers and followed by group
work: Theme I: Why is Adult education good for individuals, companies and
societies? – an overview of trends, developments and research (Prof. Albert
Tuijnman, Institute of International Education, Stockholm University).
Theme II: The role of the public sector in Adult Education (Kerstin Mustel,
SFHL, Sweden). Theme III: EI/E’s work in the field of Adult Education (Yves
Baunay, SNES, France). The first EI/E round table adult education summarized
its discussions with the adoption of a resolution covering: the right to
education, the role of the public sector, the role and rights of teachers,
and future activities in the field of adult education in Europe. A more
detailed report will be sent to the participants and the members of EI
European Regional Committee.
Latin America
Latin America to celebrate
World Teachers’ Day and Public Education
At its last meeting held 14-15 April 1999 in San Jose (Costa Rica) -see
previous Monitor-, the Regional Committee for Latin America invited EI
organisations in the region to start mobilizing their members for ‘el Día
Mundial de los Docentes’ (World Teachers’ Day) through actions promoting
public education. In a message to Presidents and General Secretaries of
EI affiliates, Chief Regional Coordinator Napoleón Morazán
proposed that various events be organised as soon as possible in every
country to culminate on 5 October 1999 in a simultaneous regional action
to defend public education and to promote the recognition of teachers.
The EI regional office will coordinate this massive movement which should
sensitize public opinion as well as the national and regional media.
| EDUCATION |
In addition to the Education International delegation, a total of 13 EI member organisations with 16 representatives attended the Second International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) organised by UNESCO in Seoul (Korea), 26-30 April 1999 (see previous Monitor). Two meetings of EI participants were held to discuss the work of the UNESCO Congress and prepare Education International’s conference on vocational education and training to take place in the year 2000.
The relation between the public sector and the private sector was one of the main issues during the Seoul Congress, reported our representatives. Both at the Congress and in the NGO Forum, EI spokespersons made interventions about the role of the state, the recognition of trade unions as social partners, the status of NGOs, the important role of teachers and the need to improve both pre- and in-service training in that sector. Other important issues discussed were the influence of modern technologies on traditional teaching methods and the development of distance learning. The future of education systems and of the teachers’ role is closely related with these questions.
Deputy General Secretary Élie Jouen took part in a panel on “Innovating
the education and training process”. More than 400 copies of an EI
communiqué on technical and vocational education were distributed
to the delegates. Education International’s status as a representative
organisation in the education sector was confirmed by references from some
of the 700 congress-goers gathered to discuss Lifelong learning and training:
a bridge to the future.
Teachers Talking about Learning on UNICEF’s web site
UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, has just launched Teachers
Talking about Learning, a new interactive section of its website for teachers
working to foster child-friendly learning envoronments. Explore ideas,
get information, discuss and take action through interactive pages and
online projects on Internet (in English only for now) at http://www.unicef.org
The UNICEF web pages in English, French and Spanish offer a variety of
news, information, reports, documents (such as EI/UNESCO WTD publications
on teachers in difficult circumstances) and useful Internet links.
Early Childhood Education featured in the July 1999 Education International Magazine
An editorial on the situation in Yugoslavia, articles on Child soldiers,
the International Labour Conference, World Teachers’ Day, EI campaigns,
AIDS in Africa, the EI Solidarity Fund, the WTO and the ‘Education Market’,
trade unions and new technologies, the OECD and TUAC, news from Central
America after Mitch, Sierra Leone, Uganda and a 12-page dossier on early
childhood education: all this information can be found in the July issue
(Vol. 5 No 2) of the EI quarterly Magazine. This periodical is free for
EI member organisations and available by individual subscription for BEF
600 (to cover handling and mailing). Reproduction of articles is permitted.
The Global Education for All 2000 Assessment has begun
The 1990 world conference in Jomtien (Thailand) was a major milestone
on the road towards the right to education for all people of all ages.
The EFA 2000 Assessment will measure how far we have come and give a clearer
idea of how long the road ahead will be (see EI’s Education: Questions
for Debate No 3). EI participates in this evaluation of the Jomtien Declaration
in the eight largest illiterate countries and will present the teachers’
perspective. EI affiliates will be associated with regional consultations.
A global meeting will be held in April 2000 in Dakar (Sénégal).
The point of view of EI members will also be posted on UNESCO Education’s
Internet site where general information on the EFA Forum is already available:
http://www.education.unesco.org/efa
| HUMAN & TRADE UNION RIGHTS |
“Trade unions continue to be hampered by gross violations of their rights, as they galvanise themselves to fight for workers’ rights in the 21st century” said ICFTU General Secretary Bill Jordan, launching the 1999 Trade Union Rights Survey on June 10 at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. This year’s survey shows that 123 trade unionists were murdered in 1998, 1650 individuals were attacked or injured, 3660 were arrested, and a massive 21,427 were sacked for trade union activities. While a record 119 countries are cited this year, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions believes these figures represent the tip of the iceberg.
Latin America is the most dangerous continent for trade unionists: 98 were murdered in Colombia and thousands more received death threats, seven Bolivians and three Ecuadorians were killed by police violence during workers’ demonstrations about price rises. Five Indian trade unionists died after being shot by police during a peaceful demonstration outside a mill in Dhakura last February. Police brutality was also reported in Indonesia, Croatia, and Kenya, including, in the last case, against teachers and their pupils who were beaten with clubs and batons. Ill-treatment of trade unionists continues in Kazakhstan, Korea, China and South Africa.
The crises for trade unionists are a direct reflection of world events, as the world economic recession impacts on workers, says the ICFTU. Flashpoints between workers and governments or employers frequently arise when workers protest against austerity measures, or job layoffs brought about by the global economic crisis. Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Russia, and countries in Central Europe, South America and Africa are examples of this developing trend.
Referring to the fiftieth anniversary of the ICFTU which was founded
in London in December 1949, Bill Jordan declared: “Our slogan ‘Bread, Peace
and Freedom’ which we coined 50 years ago, is just as relevant now. We
will continue fighting for workers’ rights to liberty, and their right
to earn decent wages in a decent job. ILO Conventions which give workers
these rights in international law are part of that fight.” EI will send
all its affiliates a copy of this survey. More information at: http://www.icftu.org
A Challenge from the ICFTU Youth Campaign
What are the challenges for the next millenium? What should trade unions
do to make sure that young trade unionists participate at every level and
have strong policies on youth, employment and education? The ICFTU Youth
Committee challenges young people to enter a contest for the best stories
on these issues. Deadline: 1 September 1999. Winning entries will be published
in a book and on the web. More information in ICFTU’s The Future Starts
Now<> Join a Union campaign material (see Monitor Vol 6 No 3), from
marieke.koning@icftu.org
Tel: +32 2 224 0328 and at http://www.icftu.org
The main objectives of this campaign are: 1- to inform young people and
to encourage them to join trade unions; 2- to push for proper policies
on employment and education for young people.
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On Thursday June 10, 1999, the Ethiopian government sentenced Dr Taye Woldesmiate, President of the Ethiopian Teachers' Association (ETA) to fifteen years of imprisonment. His crime? According to our sources, our colleague was found guilty of conspiring against the State. EI has closely followed the entire case which was drawn out over a period of three years and has supported Dr. Taye throughout the trial. EI has serious concerns about the fairness of the process and the independence of the judiciary; the only evidence against Dr. Taye was extracted under torture and subsequently withdrawn in court. Dr Woldesmiate's arrest came after ETA had questioned aspects of educational policies of the then government and formally lodged a claim for teachers’ improved pay and conditions. EI Secretary General Fred van Leeuwen expressed outrage at the sentencing. EI will be supporting any appeal process available and is seeking widespread, urgent international support for the immediate release of Dr. Taye pending the outcome of the appeal. More detailed information was sent to EI members on 23 June 1999. |
| INTERNATIONAL |
On Thursday 17 June 1999 the 87th session of the International Labour Conference (governments, employers and workers representatives) voted unanimously to adopt a new international law aimed at "the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour". The adoption vote was the culmination of two years of negotiations and four years of organising and campaigning. EI members were prominent amongst the trade unions and non-governmental organisations of the Global March against Child Labour. They and the courageous child labourers who demanded that the world eradicate the exploitation that had blighted their young lives and provide them, their siblings and their peers with education, made every delegate on the child labour committee aware that they were being watched and held to account.
The result is a very strong Convention which places provision of free,
basic education and appropriate vocational training at the heart of national
programmes to prevent and eliminate the worst forms of child labour. The
full text of the new Convention and Recommendation is available on the
ILO website: http://www.ilo.org . The
next step in the campaign is to ensure early ratification by each country
and then to participate in the development and implementation of the national
programmes of action required by the Convention. EI will be supplying further
and more detailed information to members in a direct mailing and in the
September issue of the EI Magazine.
The death penalty: an affront to our humanity (AI Report 1999)
The 1999 Amnesty International Report documents a range of human rights
abuse in 142 countries and territories, including the imprisonment of prisoners
of conscience, unfair trials of political prisoners, torture, “disappearances”,
political killings and the death penalty. “Premeditated murder in the name
of justice was carried in 37 countries in 1998” says AI, calling for a
permanent end to executions in the year 2000. The Amnesty survey shows
that abuses by governments and armed political groups are continuing in
all regions of the world. 405 pages. AI, London, 1999. 1 Easton Street,
London WC1X 8DJ (UK). Available in French Rapport 1999. 95FF; 600BEF; 27FS.
More information at: http://www.amnesty.org
| PUBLIC@TIONS |
The latest issue of ILO’s quarterly Labour Education (1998/4 - No. 113)
deals with the occupational integration of persons with disabilities. It
is reported that 500 million persons throughout the world are affected.
Employment is the principal means of promoting their social integration
and helping them to combat social exclusion and poverty. In an article
entitled Integrating persons with disabilities into the teaching profession:
a matter of concern to trade unions, EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen
gives an overview of recent developments in teachers’ unions (a summary
appeared in the December 1998 issue of the EI Magazine). Labour Education
is published (and posted on Internet) in English, French Éducation
ouvrière and Spanish Educación Obrera by the Bureau for Workers’
Activities (ACTRAV) and available from ILO Publications, 1211 Geneva 22,
Switzerland. Annual Subscription: 55 Sw. frs: US$44; £26. Price per
issue: 15 Sw. frs: US$12; £7. More information at +41 22 799 7021
and http://www.ilo.org
Recent OECD publications
on Education
Can’t find the answer? Ask Eric
ERIC, the Educational Resources Information Center, is a publicly-funded
US information system that provides, through various clearing-houses, a
variety of services and products on a broad range of education-related
issues such as teaching and teacher training. ERIC photographs educational
documents (including EI’s main publications) for its microfiche collections
available at over 700 locations in the USA and abroad; abstracts of these
documents can be found in the printed medium Resources in Education (RIE)
and through computer searchers of the ERIC database. AskERIC? is an Internet-based
service encompassing the resources of the entire ERIC system and beyond.
The main components of this website are: a personalized Question &
Answer service, the Virtual Library (with Lesson Plans, Info Guides, etc),
the searchable ERIC Database (updated monthly), and other sections such
as New and Noteworthy and Research & Development. More information
at: http://askeric.org
| BITS AND BYTES |