On the occasion of the Day of Solidarity and Mobilisation, Senegalese teacher unions, united under the umbrella of the General Association of Teacher Unions (Grand cadre des syndicats de l'enseignement-GCSE), have called for the release of the girls abducted by Boko Haram.The Syndicat des professeurs du Sénégal (SYPROS), a national affiliate of EI, belongs to the GCSE.
On World Action Day for the Release of the Students of Chibok, launched by the “A world at school” organisation on 23 July, the Senegalese teacher unions reminded us that “for three months, innocent students from the public college of Chibok in the State of Borno, in North-Eastern Nigeria, have been in the hands of the terrorist group, Boko Haram”.
In violation of respect for human rights, including access for everyone to a quality education, they added that Boko Haram, which is linked to Al-Qaida and its associated branch in the Maghreb, Al Shabab, is conducting “a war against Western education”.
The unions also regret the killing of 171 teachers in the states of Borno and Yobo, and the abduction of the families of seven of them.
Universal right to quality education
“Today, 219 families will complete their 100th day of detention and the world education community has no information on those involved,” the GCSE said in its statement.
Teacher unions, under the leadership of EI, are working to garner support across the world on the need to make education a strategic priority in the post-2015 agenda and are calling for adequate investment for quality education to include:
• Universal and free access to quality education and teachers
• The availability of modern and quality teaching tools and resources
• The creation of safe and secure environments for teaching and learning
Request for increased international support
The GCSE also noted that the international wait-and-see policy in relation to the kidnapped girls was becoming worrisome. “The teacher unions of Senegal are joining the global initiative for the unconditional release of the students still in the hands of Boko Haram.”
In addition, they are calling on the international community, the Islamic Ummah (community), the leader(s) of the sub-region, to support the Nigerian Government in taking decisive and coordinated action to resolve this attack on education and the Nigerian community.
Marième Sakho Dansokho, General Secretary of SYPROS and member of the EI Executive Board has informed EI that, in the coming days, SYPROS is planning further actions, including the organisation of a conference hosted by Arabic-speaking teachers and preachers.
Schools should be safe havens
“We congratulate the education unions for their demonstration of solidarity with the students and their colleagues in Nigeria,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen. “Like them, the international community of teachers asks governments throughout the world to ensure access to quality education for all. In addition, schools must be recognised as safe havens, secure and healthy places where students only have to concentrate on one thing: learning for their own benefit and that of their society.”