Education International’s Asian Region workshops on trade unionism for members of its Tajikistan’s affiliate, the Republican Trade Union Committee of Education and Scientific Workers, have prepared educators to address pressing community issues.
Child labour was just one of the many challenges covered in workshops for educators in Tajikistan.
The first workshop held from 1-3 June in Tursunzoda gathered 30 participants from a broad selection of the leadership of school committees affiliated to the Republican Trade Union Committee of Education and Scientific Workers (RC-STES), an organisation member of Education International (EI).
The EI Asia-Pacific Regional Coordinator Jerome Fernandez applauded the workshop, which he said included a good mix of participants, was very active, and one which prepared the majority of participants for an intermediate level workshop in the future.
From 4-6 June, in Kurganteppa, a similar workshop was organised for other school committee chairpersons, in the 28-35 age group, also RC-STES members.
Fernandez said that the workshop in Kurganteppa, about two hours from Dushanbe and where child labour problems persist, produced excellent group work, adding that many great ideas for future projects to implement in their respective schools were planned.
The support from the local committee was also very much appreciated, he said, and some of the participants were identified for the next workshop on child labour.
The objectives of both these workshops were for the participants to:
• Discuss the role of teachers’ union in the market economy;
• Conduct an analysis of the existing education situation in Tajikistan;
• Discussed the challenges/problems faced by the teachers, children and schools in Tajikistan and conveyed possible solutions;
• Receive explanations about the basic concepts and principles of leadership;
• Be sensitised about the issues of teacher unions’ internal work, leadership and administration;
• Receive explanations about the programs and activities of EI and partners;
• Share information and reviewed the essential components and strategies of the campaign for Education for All (EFA);
• Conduct an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; and
• Develop an individual plan to be implemented at the school/work place level.