Global teacher shortage, the increasing casualisation of the teaching profession and the rise in violence against teachers are three major phenomena that require immediate action from global bodies. That is the main message of Education International's recently-published triennial report to the Joint ILO-UNESCO Expert Committee on the Application of the Recommendations on Teachers (CEART).
The 10th CEART session took place recently in Paris from 28 Sep–2 Oct and its task is to examine reports on the application of the 1966 ILO-UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers and of the 1997 UNESCO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel.
As the global union representing 30 million education workers worldwide, EI presented its report based on a study undertaken in the past years through the collaboration of its 401 member organisations.
The report addresses key issues such as working conditions and remuneration, academic freedom, collegial governance, security of employment and tenure, and HIV/AIDS.
Above all, EI's report highlights three major concerns which require immediate attention:
Global teacher shortage: Education plays a crucial role in the post-economic crisis regeneration. By contrast, we are witnessing cuts to education budgets worldwide, with dire consequences for the education sector and the teaching profession.
Global casualisation crisis: More and more teachers are being employed on fixed-term or part-time contracts, and as a consequence face restricted academic freedom and professional autonomy due to their casualised status.
Increasing number of attacks against teachers and higher education teaching personnel: It strongly undermines democracy and the well-being of the society.
Albeit the recommendations' long-standing nature, governments and education institutions worldwide still fail to implement the key provisions made therein. By putting forward these findings, EI strongly urges the CEART, the ILO and UNESCO to take effective actions.
CEART's conclusions will be communicated in the next few weeks to the ILO Governing Body, the International Labour Conference and the UNESCO Executive Board, so that they may take appropriate action and authorize transmission to member states of both organizations for implementation.
To download EI's report in pdf format, please click on the link below.