3 to 8 April 2000: Global
Action Week for Education
“We must make every possible effort to ensure that the good intentions
and promises are finally put into action when the international community
gets together at the end of April in Dakar for the World Education Forum.
(...) The success of the Global Action Week for Education, aimed at mobilizing
public opinion, largely depends on initiatives taken by EI member organisations,”
wrote EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen in a call for action sent recently
to national affiliates. This Action Week (from 3 to 8 April 2000) forms
part of the new Global Campaign for Education launched in mid October by
Education International, ActionAid and Oxfam International, in partnership
with other NGOs such as the Global March against Child Labour.
“We believe that activities undertaken simultaneously in a large
number of countries will reinforce our national and international demands
that our governments must take full responsibility for providing quality
education services for everybody” declared the EI leader. Actions suggested
for the Global Action Week for Education include demonstrations, petitions,
meetings with officials and public forums, as well as extra-curricular
activities in schools and classrooms. Co-operation can be arranged with
national branches of our campaign partners and other NGOs active in the
education sector. The campaign secretariat will provide information material,
including a video clip available for broadcasting.
Member unions are invited to lobby their governments seeking support
for the aims laid down in the campaign’s Mission Statement, as well as
for participation in the EFA regional meetings now underway and in their
country’s delegation to the World Education Forum in Dakar from 26 to 28
April 2000. Activities are also being planned for the June 2000 UN special
session on follow-up to the 1995 World Summit on Social Development. In
the meantime, the Campaign secretariat is contacting every Head of state
and government with an appeal to ensure that the targets of the World Conference
on Education (Jomtien, 1990) are met early in the new millennium.
UNESCO
UNESCO elects new Director-General
and pays a tribute to Federico Mayor
On behalf of the Executive Board and its President Mary Futrell, Education
International General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen sent a letter of congratulations
to the new Director-General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, shortly after
his election, on 12 November 1999, by the 30th session of the General Conference.
Recalling the close cooperation between EI and UNESCO in recent years,
the General Secretary expressed his satisfaction with Mr Matsuura’s commitment,
in his inaugural speech, to give top priority to education and he invited
the new UNESCO leader to meet with Education International at his earliest
convenience.
The General Conference also paid a solemn tribute to Federico Mayor,
whose second six-year term in office ended on 14 November 1999. The Conference
adopted by acclamation a Resolution highlighting the deep commitment of
Mr Mayor “to the principles which guided the creation of UNESCO, and
to which he sought to give renewed vigour and relevance” and “his tireless
efforts to develop UNESCO’s tasks of intellectual guidance and ethical
standard-setting, in the face of social change and the evolution of knowledge.”
In his reply, Federico Mayor notably declared: “Education is the foundation,
starting point and pre-requisite for every attempt to improve the human
lot. [...] When people have access to the education that is their right,
they are then able to claim and to make good use of all other human rights
enshrined in the Universal Declaration.” Finally, he said that Peace which
UNESCO cultivates throughout the world does not consist in the mere repression
of conflict: “The peace we seek is just and lasting peace, based on co-existence,
democratic participation, security, education for all and development that
is mindful of environment. It is peace which can provide a clean planet,
harmonious growth and a future of liberty to future generations.”
Education International and
the UNESCO General Conference
Education International took part in various activities of the 30th
session of the 1999 UNESCO General Conference in Paris (France), notably
with addresses to the Plenary Assembly and the Commission on Education.
EI called on UNESCO Member States attending the Dakar World Forum on Education
in April 2000 to implement education for all as promised 10 years ago in
Jomtien. Referring to the current Global Campaign for Education, Deputy
General Secretary Élie Jouen suggested that political will and the
transfer of a small percentage of military expenditure to education budgets
could give every child access to school, help improve educational systems
and develop lifelong learning, a keystone to the 21st century. The EI spokesman
reiterated our support for the International Year for the Culture of Peace
and informed the government representatives of EI’s initiatives for 2000.
In the Education Commission, EI coordinator Monique Fouilhoux commented
on the draft UNESCO Programme and Budget for the next biennium, stressing
particularly on Vocational Education and the implementation the 1999 Seoul
Conference resolutions, and on the importance of Health Education for Prevention
-given the rise of drug abuse in Europe and the devastating growth of AIDS
in Africa. On Higher Education, EI noted the important role played by NGOs
in the successful 1998 World Conference on Higher Education (WCHE -see
Monitor Vol 6 No 2) but regretted the delays, at state level, in the implementation
of the Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching
Personnel. UNESCO has recently appointed an International Follow-up Committee
to the 1998 WCHE. EI will be represented by coordinator Monique Fouilhoux.
The Committee will establish a constant dialogue among its members and
will hold meetings as appropriate.
Each national delegation, UNESCO Executive Board member, NGO and IGO
attending the General Conference received information about WTD, EI and
its campaigns through a personalised envelope in their mailbox at the Conference
in Paris. In October 1999, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation represented 188 Member States.
REGIONS
Europe
Tidings from EI/Europe and
new European teaching aids
The European Regional Committee was scheduled to meet on 13 December
1999, prior to the ETUCE Executive Board. The agenda included a report
of the 20 September 1999 meeting (see Monitor Vol 7 No 1), the implementation
of the 1999-2001 Programme, the Financial Report, European aspects of the
Global Campaign for Education, targets for equality, etc. More details
in the next Monitor on the EI/Europe Higher Education and Research Standing
Committee meeting on 4-5 October 1999 in Strasbourg and the ETUCE/EI seminar
on health and safety of teachers and health education on 28-29 October
1999 in Luxembourg.
European (and other) teachers unions may be interested to know that the
European Commission proposes on its site an Observatory of Teaching Initiatives
and Tools on the euro with information and access to pedagogical sites
on the web. For further information: http://www.europa.eu.int/en
/comm/dg22/euro/ Fax: +32 2 296 8602.
To mark its 50th anniversary, the Council of Europe has published a teaching
pack for secondary schools, entitled Europe is more than you think. This
publication covers 10 subjects such as Protecting and understanding human
rights, Responses to a multicultural society, The role of young people,
etc. Information and copies in English and French Une Europe à découvrir
from: Point i, Council of Europe, 67075 Strasbourg Cedex, France or
http://www.coe.fr
Latin America
New Chief Coordinator and
other developments in the Regional Office
While in Brussels for the Development Cooperation meeting (see below),
Napoleón Morazán confirmed that a series of meetings were
being organised in mid March 2000 in San José (Costa Rica): a round
table for women teachers (17-18), Regional Committee (19) and Latin American
Conference (20-22). Our colleague Napoleón has resigned as Chief
Coordinator (but stays with EI as consultant), and staff member Combertty
Rodríguez Garcia now holds this office.
A new coordinator should be appointed soon -see previous Monitor.
INTERNATIONAL
Development Cooperation programs
cover a wider spectrum of activities
The annual meeting on Development Cooperation was held in Brussels
on 1 and 2 December 1999. The work session was attended by 12 cooperating
member organisations, as well as EI secretariat and regional staff. At
present 84 EI affiliates in the developing countries are involved in individual
programs specifically focusing on strengthening their capacity. On top
of that, many other unions are engaged in regional programs. The participants
discussed the possibilities of including the key programs adopted by the
EI Congress in existing cooperation activities. These include health education
and AIDS prevention, activities focusing on combating child labour, gender
programs and discussions with the affiliates on structural adjustment.
Every year an amount of US$ 2.5 million is dedicated to supporting teachers
unions in the developing countries. For more information, see the December
‘98 EI Magazine and the October ‘99 Development Cooperation newsletter.
The WTO in Seattle: a false
start...
The December 1999 World Trade Organisation (WTO) Conference convened
to launch a new round of global trade negotiations, failed to take off.
The consequence is that any new round for the liberalisation of multilateral
trade between the 135 Member States is postponed sine die. The profound
disagreements between the USA and the European Union on one hand, as well
as between the industrialised countries and developing nations on the other
hand, could not be overcome. EI’s delegation in Seattle monitored particularly
the developments on two important issues: the inclusion of social standards
in trade accords and the renegotiation of the agreement on services (GATS)
covering, among other things, international trade of education services.
Despite the failure of the Seattle talks, we must remain vigilant in the
coming months.
Montserrat saluted the world’s teachers and educators,
and especially those on this Carribean island having to cope with an active
volcano, by issuing four commemorative stamps with the caption World Teachers’
Day 1999 and the EI logo (see fax reproductions in the margin). With a
World map in the background, the postage stamps represent classroom teaching
and instruments. Mongol Post also announced, for 15 December 1999, WTD
stamps dedicated to public education and to two scientists, writers and
teachers from Mongolia.
EDUCATION
First EI World Round Table
on Vocational Education and Training in March 2000
In the framework of the 1999-2001 EI Programme and the 1998 Congress
resolution on VET (see Highlights p. 98-103), affiliates are invited to
the first EI World Round Table on Vocational Education and Training
to be held 1-3 March 2000 in Brussels (Belgium). In order to develop further
the EI database comparing VET systems in member countries, all participants
are requested to cooperate in sending, by the 15 January 2000 deadline
for registration, a short national report along the lines suggested
in the invitation. This information is essential to establish a global
picture of the present situation and to develop strategies for the future.
Trends and developments in VET, partnerships in education reforms, funding,
and the June 2000 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conference will
be the key topics of the Round Table which should also discuss future EI
actions. English, French and Spanish will be the working languages. Register
now!
Stakes and challenges for
public education discussed by OECD affiliates meeting in Japan
Some 60 trade unionists from 17 countries (including 10 NIKKYOSO observers)
attended the EI Round Table for OECD zone teachers unions held on 25-27
October 1999 in Tokyo, Japan -see Monitor Vol 6 No 6. The programme
included school visits, panels, workshops, and guest speakers such as Professor
Riccardo Petrella (Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium) and Professor
Masaya Minei (General Institute of National Education and Culture, Japan).
Education systems, globalization, violence at school, teacher evaluation
and global actions were some of the topics presented and debated by EI
participants.
The main conclusions of the Tokyo meeting, hosted by NIKKYOSO, were
summed up in the following tasks for EI and its affiliates: 1-. Updating
the concept of public education for the 21st century; 2-. Raising awareness
of the initiatives taken outside the public education service; 3-. Gathering
all the positive initiatives relating to the reform of public education
services; 4-. Preparing a strategic plan to promote the quality of public
education; 5-. Participating in the EI campaigns for quality public education
for all (particularly in the 3-8 April 2000 Global Action Week). The next
OECD affiliates rendez-vous is set for October 2000 in Helsinki (Finland),
with special World Teachers’ Day 2000 activities already being planned
by OAJ.
BITS
AND BYTES
EI’s sixth thematic calendar (sent yearly in lieu of greeting cards) features
the International Year for the Culture of Peace, with the commitments from
the Manifesto 2000 and suggestions for activities complementing the forthcoming
EI kit on education for a Culture of Peace.
This year again, Lärarförbundet (Sweden) saved 50 000 Swedish
Kronas ($US6000) by not sending Christmas cards to their colleagues abroad
and allocated the amount to the EI Solidarity Fund. On their behalf, Gott
Nytt År 2000 to all of you!
In the same spirit, the EI secretariat staff asked the General Secretary
to forget the annual Holiday dinner and donate an equivalent sum to a relief
organisation such as the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Médecins
sans frontières.
EI affiliates received an urgent appeal for humanitarian aid to Sierra
Leone through donations to the EI Solidarity Fund. Schools have been destroyed,
children and young people have been maimed or mutilated, some have lost
their parents... Thanks for your generosity.
Every 3.6 seconds, someone dies from hunger; ¾ of the deaths are
children under 5. THE HUNGER SITE allows you to make a free donation of
food to hungry people around the world. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com
and click on the DONATE FREE FOOD icon. Sponsors will pay for your donation,
which you can make once every day. Do it now, do it every day. The site
provides ‘hunger facts’ in more than 50 languages. Spread the word!
UNI is ready to go! Four International Trade Secretariats --International
Graphic Federation (IGF), Media and Entertainment International (MEI),
Communications International (CI) and International Federation of Commercial,
Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees (FIET)-- have merged to
create Union Network International (UNI). From January 2000, the Nyon (Switzerland)-based
UNI will represent 15.5 million workers in 800 trade unions from some 140
countries. Philip Jennings will hold the office of General Secretary. More
information at: http://www.union-network.org
Education International will send 23 representatives to the Joint ILO Meeting
on Lifelong Learning in the 21st Century: the Changing Roles of Education
Personnel from 10 to 14 April 2000 in Geneva (Switzerland). A total of
27 worker representatives are selected to participate in that activity.
The ICFTU celebrated its 50th anniversary in its Brussels HQ on 7 December
1999. A special edition of Trade Union World (September 1999 - sent to
all EI affiliates) recalls how the Confederation has influenced global
developments year after year.
Education International 5 boulevard du Roi Albert II (8th floor) -
1210 Brussels, Belgium For more information please contact us Tel. 32.2.224.06.11 ~ Fax: 32.2.224.06.06
~ E-mail: educint@ei-ie.org