In October thirteen unions affiliated to EI came together in Kingston to review their progress on the EFAIDS Programme thus far, to plan for 2008 and to benefit from training on two new toolkits related to gender safe schools and the greater integration of teachers living with HIV and AIDS in union policies and programmes.
The workshop was attended by a group of highly motivated teachers who worked extremely well together, supporting one another with an exchange of information and useful approaches. Representatives of 13 EI affiliates participated in the event, namely: A&BUT/Antigua & Barbuda, BNTU/Belize, BvL/Suriname, CNEH/Haiti, DAT/Dominica, GTU/Guyana, GUT/Grenada, JTA/Jamaica, NTU/Nevis, SLTU/St. Lucia, SOB/Suriname, SVGTU/St. Vincent and the Grenadines, T&TUTA/Trinidad. At the end of an intensive five-day session, the unions had successfully completed training on the new materials (attached below) which they will now introduce to their training sessions with teachers at the national and district level. They also developed clear proposals for action in other working areas for 2008. These include the development of clear union policies; research studies; advocacy and greater campaigns and communications work on the need to tackle HIV/AIDS and step up the pursuit of quality Education for All at the union and schools levels.
For more information, please contact us at efaids@ei-ie.org.