Education International sends its best wishes to everyone from the global education community for this new year. With the COVID-19 pandemic still threatening lives, we will continue our struggle for a safe and healthy return to the classroom for teachers, education support personnel, and students. We will also do our utmost to ensure access to quality education for all.
This year, 2021, will unfortunately still be marked by the Coronavirus crisis. As we did last year, Education International will collaborate with governments and international organisations and demand that educators be considered a priority group in COVID-19 vaccinations.
We will also ensure that our five pillars identified in the EI Guidance on Reopening Schools and Education Institutions, released in April 2020, are still broadly disseminated and followed.
Decent remote teaching and learning conditions
For equity reasons and to make sure no one is denied their right to education, we will continue to campaign for remote teaching and learning in decent conditions for all teachers and students.
Thanks to means offered by new technologies, we will hold our annual Executive Board, Research Network and Development Cooperation network meetings, and many more.
This year more than ever, Education International reiterates that education must be at the top of the national and international agendas.
After the pandemic
COVID-19 will come under control and will no longer have the devastating impact on health, equality, and social justice of 2020. It is important that the lessons be learned from these multiple crises and that human beings be at the centre of policy nationally and internationally. Global solidarity and healthy, fair societies should be driving recovery rather than markets and the accumulation of even greater wealth in the hands of a few.
In no area are our values more central to the public good than in education. The teaching profession and other education workers have been among those recognised for their vital services. That essential role should not be forgotten nor should the importance of social relationships in schools to education and to well-being. There will be many political pressures during economic recovery. Education must not be a casualty of that process. Instead, it should be strengthened, fully funded, and liberated from manipulation by those who see education as a profit opportunity rather than being about building good lives and decent and democratic societies.