Education International welcomes the emphasis placed on investments in education by the leaders of eight of the world richest countries in their statement at the end of the G8 Summit at Camp David.
The outcome of this summit may mark a turning point in the austerity-versus-stimulus debate. The Summit concluded that more should be done to promote growth and job creation and that increased government spending could propel European economies out of crisis.
In their communique the leaders of Britain, the US, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and Russia said that productivity and growth could be increased through “structural reforms and investments in education and in modern infrastructure”.
EI has stated repeatedly that all countries, including those facing economic hardships, such as Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy, should be given the financial space to invest in their teachers and public education systems. This echoes EI’s message that investment in quality education is a key to the resolution of the crisis which is the core message of EI’s campaign on the damaging effects of the economic crisis on education.
The EI General Secretary, Fred van Leeuwen, will join a delegation of labour leaders to the G20 summit in Mexico on 18 and 19 June. “Boosting investments in jobs and public services” will be one of the key messages which the trade union movement will convey to the world leaders at that summit.