All over the world, education unions, professional associations, teachers, students and parents are celebrating World Teachers Day, with a focus not only on teachers but also on quality education for all.
Education International, who has launched its own initiative for the day through the platform www.5oct.org, has received a multitude of messages from affiliates from all over the world, who have joined their forces by sending emails, messages and tweets with the hashtag #unite4Ed. These messages are directed at the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, in defence of quality education for all, a post-2015 development goal on education, and the global campaign to get all children into school.
Here is a small glimpse of activities and statements that Education International affiliates around the world have undertaken:
- Canada: the trade unions demand more investment in teachers and engage the media in their demand for quality education (read more on this subject by clicking here). They have also organised a relay marathon throughout October to explain why teaching sometimes is quite like running a marathon!
- Spain: FECCOO has launched a collection of signatures and has gathered statements in support of quality education by important figures from politics and culture, including actress Aitana Sánchez Gijón and writer Almudena Grandes.
- Cameroon: The secretary general of the Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement et de la recherche(FESER) has made a public statement for the investment in quality teachers, tools and environments.
- Georgia: teachers and scientists unions have held a public event which has been broadcasted by all major TV channels