InternationalSolidaritywww.nasuwt.org.uk/International

Spring 2015

NASUWTThe Teachers’ Union

A member of

In this issue: Haldis Holst Exclusive interview with the EI Deputy General Secretary

West Africa The impact of the Ebola epidemic on education

Pakistan Children return to school after Taliban massacre

Education and Gender Equality Learning Lessons, Moving Forward

Amnesty International www.amnesty.org

Burma Campaign UK www.burmacampaign.org.uk

Cuba Solidarity Campaign www.cuba-solidarity.org

Education International www.ei-ie.org

ETUCE www.etuce.homestead.com

General Federation of Iraqi Workers www.iraqitradeunions.org

Global Campaign for Education www.campaignforeducation.org

International Labour Organization www.ilo.org

Justice for Colombia www.justiceforcolombia.org

LabourStart www.labourstart.org

Make Poverty History www.makepovertyhistory.org

The Millennium Development Goals www.undp.org/mdg

Robin Hood Tax www.robinhoodtax.org

Trade Union Advisory Committee to OECD www.tuac.org

TUC www.tuc.org.uk/international

UNESCO en.unesco.org

UN Commission on the Status of Women www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw

Unite for Quality Education www.unite4education.org

Voluntary Services Overseas www.vso.org.uk

ACTSA (Action for Southern Africa) www.actsa.org

NASUWT International – www.nasuwt.org.uk/International

Useful websites

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Contents

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WestAfricacrisisundoingeducationalprogress

7

15

Lackofaccesstoeducation–Iraq’shiddencrisis

NASUWTinfact-findingvisittoGermany

HillscourtEducationCentreRoseHill,Rednal,

BirminghamB458RSTelephone01214536150

Fax01214576208Websitewww.nasuwt.org.uk

NASUWTThe Teachers’ Union

10/11 StandUpForSchools: 6Petitionmarks25thAnniversaryoftheConventionontheRightsoftheChild

BringBackOurGirls: 8NASUWTjoinscondemnationofterrorgroupBokoHaram

Newglobalpriority: 9UNputsqualityeducationonpost­2015developmentagenda

Ugandateachersbuildeducationunionfromscratch: 12WithsupportfromtheNASUWT,UNATUisnowrepresentingteachersatalllevelsintheeducationsystem

YoungesteverNobelPeaceLaureate: 14PrestigioushonourgoesjointlytoMalalaYousafzaiandKailashSatyarthifortheirstrugglefortherightofallchildrentoaccesseducation

EducationInternational’sHaldisHolstspeakstoInternational Solidarity

SecondConferenceoftheArabCountriesCross-RegionalStructure: 16NinetydelegatesdiscussthestateofeducationinArabcountries

NASUWTConferenceEducationandGenderEquality: 17Internationalguestsspokeofimprovingequalityandsocialjusticeforgirlsandwomenineducation

Terrorattacksonschoolsandcolleges: 20Attacksaroundtheworldathighestpointfor40years

NASUWTkeepsuppressureinMahdicampaign: 23DrPatrickRoachjoinsUKdelegationtotheBahrainEmbassycallingforreleaseofBahrainTeachers’AssociationPresident

3

TheimpactofEbolaonOnceitwasmanwhowreakedhavocinwar­tornWestAfrica.Now,anarguablymoredeadlykillerisontheloosewhichiscripplingthefragileinfrastructureofthoseimpoverishedcountries,includingtheirschools

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is threatening to undo theimpressive progress that had been made bygovernments in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, inrebuilding societies which had been torn apart byconflict.

Education, whilst weak and under­resourced, hadneverthelessbecomeanimportantandhighlysymboliccomponent of the drive for communities to moveforwardfromwar.

InLiberia, forexample, itwasnotunknownforyoungadultmen,whohadlosttheirchildhoodtofighting,toattend primary school along with children. For them,andmillionsofothers,schoolwasanimportantwayofreintegratingintocivilianlife.

Butschoolbuildingsarecurrentlydesertedacrosstheregionandthebeginningoftermhasbeenindefinitelysuspendedasawayoftryingtocontainthevirusfromspreading.

DrPatrickRoach:EducationisakeypartofthestrategytobuildindividualandcommunityresistancetoEbola

Thisisdeprivingmillionsofchildrenandyoungpeopleof schooling and putting economic recovery injeopardy. A paralysed infrastructure also means asuspension of those important initiatives which werehelpingtorebuildtheeducationsystem:forexample,teacher training, school construction, curriculumreviewsandthedeliveryoftextbooks.

“…Wemustnotforgetthepotentialof

educatorsandeducationinhelpingtokeep

children’sandyoungpeople’sfamiliesand

communitiessafeinthelongterm…”

Withouteducation, ignoranceand fearareallowed todominate communities’ reaction to the disease. Buteducation canplay an important role inpublic healthcampaigning and in keeping children, young peopleandtheirfamiliessafe.

SincetheoutbreakinDecember2013,theEbolacrisishas claimed more than 8,800 lives and has beendescribed as the biggest health threat to face theworldinageneration.

TheWestAfricancountriesmostaffectedareinvirtuallockdownandwhilstitseemsprudenttokeepchildrensafefromtheriskofinfectionthroughclosingschools,itispotentiallydevastatingfortheireducationandthecountries’rehabilitation.

As the disease wreaks havoc across the regions, it isclaimingthelivesofheadsoffamilies,leavingorphansinaprecarioussituation.Teachersareamongthosetohavelosttheirlives.

Julia Gillard, Chair of the Global Partnership forEducation, said: “As we have learned from manynations incrisis, it isessentialthateducationplannersremain vigilant and flexible. We must be vigilant toensure that children are not kept away for too longfrom their learning and flexible so they can adaptquickly and effectively to theunexpected. The stakesfor anything less are much too high – the time forconsideredactionisnow.”

The NASUWT has responded to the call fromEducation International (EI)byagreeing to contribute

4

nchildren’seducation

8,810 Ebola deaths

Source: World Health Organisation (WHO) figures published 25 January 2015. Includes one in the US, six in Mali and eight in Nigeria. The WHO has declared the outbreaks in Nigeria and Senegal officially over, as there have been no new cases reported since 5 September.

3,686

1,910

Thevirusistransmittedfromwildanimalsandspreadsviahuman­to­humantransmission.

Theestimatedfatalityrateofthisepidemicisaround70%.

TherearecurrentlynolicensedEbolavaccinesbuttwopotentialcandidatesarebeingevaluated.

3,199

Since the outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013, it has spread to the neighbouring countriesLiberiaandSierraLeone.Nigeriasufferedasmalloutbreakof20casesandtherewasonecaseinSenegal,butbothhavenowbeendeclareddisease-free.Mali,whichsharesa500-mileborderwithGuinea,becamethesixthWestAfricancountrytorecordacaseofEbolainlate2014.

totheEISolidarityFundtoassistvictimsofEbolaandin particular to advance health educationprogrammes on the ground in the most affectedcountries. The EI appeal aims to direct funds viaeducationunionsontheground.

WorkingwiththeGambiaTeachers’Union,EI’sworkhas already helped deliver a health educationcampaign focused on awareness­raising andprevention. Further education­related projects arealsotakingplaceinLiberia,SierraLeoneandGuinea.

Speaking on the crisis, Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWTDeputy General Secretary and a member of the EIExecutiveBoard,said:“ThescourgeofEbolaisnotacrisistobeendured.Itcanbestoppedandeducationis a keypartof the strategy tobuild individual andcommunityresistancetothisdisease.

“It is right that additional money is made availableimmediately to deliver targeted medicalinterventionsinaffectedareas.

“Wemustalsonotforgetthepotentialofeducatorsand education in helping to keep children’s andyoungpeople’sfamiliesandcommunitiessafeinthelongterm.”

The Executive Board of EI has issued a resolutiondemanding that governments, intergovernmentalorganisations and the international communitygenerallytakeurgentactiontostopthespreadofthevirus. You can read the full resolution atwww.nasuwt.org.uk/Ebola.

Formoreinformation,goto:

n http://en.unesco.org

n www.globalpartnership.org/blog/how­ebola­crisis­affecting­education­west­africa

n www.ei­ie.org/en/news/news_details/3273

5

EducationInternationallaunchescampaigntostandupforschoolThe NASUWT is actively supporting the global call for action #UpForSchool

Education International (EI) recently launchedapetitionfor teachers to sign to show they are standing up forschoolonthe25thAnniversaryoftheConventionontheRightsoftheChild.

The petition, launched in November, reaffirms thedefining moment in history when, for the first time, allchildrenaroundtheworldwereviewedashumanbeingswith their own set of rights, including the right to aqualityeducation.

TheEIcampaignacknowledgesthatalthoughtherehasbeenprogressoverthepast25years, it isstillthecasethatthereare58millionchildrenoutofschoolandthereareincreasingattacksonschoolsandschoolchildrenandteachersacrosstheworldinschools.

This petition is designed to put pressure on worldleaderstogetchildrenintoschoolin2015,aspromisedas a result of the Millennium Development Goals. Thepetition is therefore designed as a final push to getleaderstokeeptotheirpromises.

Speaking about the importance of the campaign,NASUWT Deputy General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach

said: “UpForSchool is a really important campaign thatdeserves widespread support from teachers and othereducators,parentsandthegeneralpublic.

“Quality education, quality teachers and qualityresources are the key to securing economic and socialjustice for all. Trade unions and our members must doeverythingwecantoensurethateverychild receivesaquality education and we must work together to bringan end, once and for all, to the blight on the lives ofmillionsofchildrenworldwideforwhomtherighttobeinschoolis,forwhateverreason,denied.”

Whatyoucandotosupportthecampaign

Signthepetitionat:

www.aworldatschool.org/upforschool

WritetoyourMPusingtheNASUWT­providedtoolat

www.nasuwt.org.uk/ContactYourMP

Sharethislinkwithcolleagues,familyandfriends.

TTIPwillhave‘profoundconsequences’foreducationThe NASUWT is calling on governments

acrossEuropetoensurethateducationandhealthservicesareexcludedfromthe Transatlantic Trade andInvestment Partnership (TTIP)framework that is currently under

development.

DrPatrickRoach,NASUWTDeputyGeneralSecretaryandamemberoftheEducationInternationalExecutiveBoard, said: “It is clear that if the TTIP goes ahead itwould undermine the public service ethos of state­fundededucation.

“Itwouldopenthedoortoschoolsbeingrunforprofitand mean that, in future, education would operate forcommercialinterestsandnotthepublicinterest.Supporters of the TTIP say it is

designed to remove regulatory ‘barriers’ which restrictthetradeingoodsandservices(includingeducationandhealth) by transnational corporations on both sides oftheAtlantic.

“We want to see education excluded from the TTIPandanalternativeEuropeantradepolicydevelopedthatputs the interestsofchildrenandyoungpeoplebeforetheinterestsofbig business.”

Education and health services, medical services(includingmidwiferyandphysiotherapy),dentalservicesand many other areas of public service are currentlyincluded in the draft TTIP framework which is beingnegotiated bytheEuropeanCommissionandtheUS.

For further information, read the NASUWT positionstatementontheTTIPatwww.nasuwt.org.uk/TTIP.

WhatyoucandotosupportthecampaignAkey implicationof theTTIP frameworkcouldmean

unrestricted privatisation of public education andrestrictionsontheabilityofgovernmentstointerveneinthe public interest where it believes that a marketisedandprivatisedapproachisnotintheinterestsofchildrenandyoungpeople.

Signthepetitionat:www.nasuwt.org.uk/TTIP

WritetoyourMPusingtheNASUWT­providedtoolatwww.nasuwt.org.uk/ContactYourMP

6

Education–thehiddencrisisinIraq

Lackofaccesstoeducationhasbecomea‘hiddencrisis’ofthechaosengulfingIraq,accordingtoUNESCO.

InarecentvisittoadisplacedcampinKurdistan,UNESCO’sDirector­General,IrinaBokova,saidthataccesstoeducationisahumanrightandadevelopmentandsecurityimperativewhichisessentialtothefuturestabilityofIraq.

DeprivingIraqichildrenofeducation,saidMsBokova,leavesthemvulnerabletoviolence,abuseorideologicalmanipulation.

TherearecurrentlyhundredsofthousandsofIraqichildrenlanguishinginmakeshiftcampsinsideIraq,havingfledtheadvanceofIslamicStateterrorists.

Reportsconfirmthataroundtwomillionfamiliesareinprecariousconditions.Withtheadvanceofwinter,theinternationalresponseisinevitablyfocusedontheimmediateneedtomakesurethemostvulnerablesurvivethecoldmonths.Itmeansmostofthedisplacedchildrenarewithoutschoolingatall.

Inareasnowcontrolledbyterrorists,pupilsfaceadifferentproblem.Schoolshavebeenwidelydestroyedorcommandeeredformilitarybases.Wheretheyremainopen,IslamicStatehasbannedtheteachingofmainstreamsubjects,suchastheartsandsciences,andreplaceditwithhardlineIslamicindoctrination.

UNESCO,alongwithotherorganisationssuchasEducationInternational(EI),ofwhichtheNASUWTisamember,isworkingwiththeIraqiGovernmentandgrassroots

AhmedJassimSalih,NationalPresidentofthetechnicalsectoroftheIraqiTeachersUnion(ITU),

continuestoleadtheunionwithskill,expertiseandbravery,atgreatpersonalrisktohimself.Ahmed

receivedtheNASUWTInternationalSolidarityAward2014inrecognitionofhisimmensecourageindefendingthehumanandtradeunionrightsof

teachersinIraq.

bodiessuchasteachingunions,toaddressthecrisis.

InadeclarationadoptedbytheEIExecutiveBoardinOctober,theglobaleducationtradeunioncommunityhasdemandedincreasedsupportforrefugeesandthosewhohavebeendisplacedacrosstheMiddleEast.EIhasalsocalledfortheprovisionofqualityeducation.

Overall,thesituationinIraqremainsperilous.WhilsttheadventofademocraticallyelectedgovernmenthasprovidedsomehopeforIraq,thediresecuritysituationprovokedbythethreatofIslamicStateandcontinuingsectarianviolencemeanstheimmediatefutureisbleak.

Humanrightsactivists,includingtradeunionists,continue

torisktheirsafetybycampaigningforjusticeanddemocracyinIraq.

MembersoftheNASUWT’ssisterorganisation,theIraqiTeachers’Union(ITU),havealsobeentargetedbyIslamistmilitantsandsomemembershavebeenassassinated.

ThroughoutNovember,tradeunions,includingtheITU,heldaseriesofmarchestoprotestagainsttherestrictivelabourlawswhichtheIraqiGovernmentisdeterminedtoimplementdespiteinternationalpressure.Therewerehigh­profiledemonstrationscallingforjustice,betterconditionsforworkers,andanendtoabusesofhumanrights.

TheNASUWTiscontinuingtoplayaprominentroleinkeepingthespotlightontheplightofchildrenandyoungpeople’seducationinIraq,aswellasonthedangersfacingfellowtradeunionmembers.FringemeetingsorganisedbytheNASUWTattheTUCCongressandtheLiberalDemocratPartyConferencehavealsohelpedtoraiseawarenessamongsttradeunionistsandpoliticians.

DrPatrickRoach,DeputyGeneralSecretaryoftheNASUWT,said:“TheremustbeagenuinedemocraticfutureforthepeopleofIraq.Alessonfrompastmilitaryinterventionisthatattentionmustbepaidtobuildinginclusive,

democraticinstitutionsthatrecogniseandrespectthevoicesofordinarypeopleandtheorganisationswhichrepresentthem,includingtradeunions.

“TheNASUWTlookstoallpoliticalpartiestoidentifywhatisneededbeyondmilitaryintervention,torecognisethevitalcontributionofteachersandeducatorsandoftradeunionsinhelpingtobuildlastingpeaceforthepeopleofIraq.”

ToreadtheEIdeclaration,gotowww.nasuwt.org.uk/Iraq

7

BRINGBACKOURGIRLSFollowingtheabductionofover200Nigerianschoolgirls,Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT Deputy General Secretary,who isalsoamemberof theWorldExecutiveBoardofEducationInternational(EI),votedinsupportofissuingastrongly worded international resolution on thecontinuingsituation.

“…whenchildrenaroundtheworldare

beingexploitedandtargetedinoutrageous

andappallingattacksbyextremists,wewill

neverstandbyandallowtheseappalling

crimestobeforgottenorgoby

unchallenged…”The schoolgirls were abducted inApril when armed Boko Harammilitia burst into the school thegirlswereattendingandtookthemawayatgunpoint.

BokoHaram,whichmeans“westerneducation is forbidden”, began aninsurgencywiththeaimofcreatingahardline Islamicstate in thenorthofNigeria.

Under intense international pressuretostampout the insurgencyand freethe girls, the Nigerian Government,led by beleaguered PresidentGoodluck Jonathan, recently claimedtohaveagreedadealwiththeterroriststobring thegirlsback inexchange forBokoHaramprisoners.

This was denied by the group, who,towardstheendof2014,intensifiedtheirassaults in the north of the country. In

when aNovember, 58 boys were killed

Meeting inBrusselsOctober21­232014,the 43rd Executive Board of Education

International condemns, in the strongestpossibleterms,thekidnappingofmorethan

200 school girls by the terrorist group BokoHaram,inChibok,northernNigeria.BokoHaram(literallytranslatedfromHausaas‘WesternEducation is forbidden’) is a terrorist group fighting toestablishanIslamiststateinNorthernNigeriasince2009;theirtacticsincludetargetinganddestroyingschools,aswellaskidnappingandkillingstudentsandteachers.Duringthelastfewyears,asmanyas171teachershavebeenkilledinthenorth­easternStatesofNigeria,andinJuly 2013, Boko Haram murdered 46 children as theysleptintheirboardingschooldormitories.57oftheChibokgirlsmanagedtoescapetheircaptors,

but219othershaveremainedincaptivityformorethansixmonthssincetheyweretakenatgunpointfromtheirschoollastApril.TheEIExecutiveBoardcalls–OntheNigerianfederalauthoritiestoincreaseeffortstosecurethesafereleaseoftheschoolgirls;Onallmemberorganisationstosupportthe‘SafeSchoolInitiative’thatEIisassistingtheNigeriangovernmenttoputinplace;Toallmemberorganisationsandconcernedpersonstocontinue supporting the global #BringBackOurGirlscampaignandaddtheirvoicestothemillionscallingforthesafereleaseoftheChibokschoolgirls;EIwillcontinuetopromotequalityeducationforallinconditions that are safe and secure for students andteachersalike.

JointheGlobalSchoolGirlMarchon14April,thefirstanniversary of the kidnapping. For details, go towww.bringbackourgirls.us/school­girl­march.

EIEXECUTIVEBOARDSTATEMENTONTHEKIDNAPPEDSCHOOLGIRLSINNORTHERNNIGERIA

suspected Boko Haram suicide attacker detonatedexplosives in a school. Hundreds of teachers have alsobeentargetedandassassinated.

SpeakingfollowingtheEIstatement,DrRoachsaid:“Thesituationmayappearbleak,butwemustnevergiveuphope.

“The statement from Education International isimportant and timely and will help to keep alight theflameofhopeforthesuccessfulreturnofthesegirls.Ata time when children around the world are beingexploited and targeted in outrageous and appallingattacksbyextremists,wewillneverstand byandallowthese appalling crimes to be forgotten or go byunchallenged.”

MembersoftheBringBackOurGirlscampaigngatherinAbujatowalkto

PresidentGoodluckJonathan’sofficialresidencetokeepupthepressureon

thegovernmenttobringthemissingteenagershome

Pho

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8

‘Quality education’ identified as new global priority As discussions on the new goals to replace the existingMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) reach their finalphaseintheUnitedNations(UN),therehasbeenagrowingcommitmenttomake‘qualityeducation’acleargoalinthepost­2015sustainabledevelopmentagenda.

WiththeMDGsdrawingtoaconclusionattheendof2015,world leaders have called for an ambitious, long­termagendatoimprovepeople’slivesandprotecttheplanetforfuturegenerations.

Thispost­2015developmentagendaisexpectedtotacklemany issues, including ending poverty and hunger,improving health and education, making cities moresustainable, combating climate change, and protectingoceansandforests.

The commitment to quality education marks a majorsuccess for Education International (EI), which hasspearheadedaworldwidecampaigntopressgovernments,theUNand other international agencies to recognise theneedforeducationtoremainaglobalpriorityforcountriesaroundtheworldandthatcommitmenttoeducationmustbetranslatedintocommitmenttoqualityeducation.

The importance of equitable and quality education was akeythemeattheannualgatheringofworldleadersforthe69thUNGeneralAssemblyinNewYorkinOctober.EIwasthere, and so was the NASUWT, alongside former USSecretaryofStateHillaryClintonandAmerica’sFirstLady,MichelleObama.

ChairingaspecialsessionhostedjointlybyEIandtheUN,Dr Patrick Roach led a debate with teachers from Togo,India,Nigeria,Pakistan,Belgium,USAandLebanon.

Speakingattheevent,DrRoachsaid:“WhilstthisUniteforQualityEducationyearisreachingitsculmination,wemustremain vigilant in our individual and collective efforts toholdontotheprincipleofqualityeducationforall.

“TheUniteforQualityEducationcampaignspearheaded byEducation International is probably one of EI’s mostsuccessfulcampaignstodate. Itwasacampaignthatwas

too important to fail and it has already exceeded expectations.

“Teachers have engaged. Unions have engaged.Governments have engaged. Now we must finish the job andensurethatin2015,atthenextUNGeneralAssembly,Quality Education is high on the list of internationalgovernmentalpriorities,helpingustosecureasafer,moreinclusiveandmoreequitableworldforeveryone.”

DrPatrickRoach:wemustremainvigilantinoureffortstoholdontotheprincipleofqualityeducationforall

Despite progress, the MDGs on education, to secureuniversalaccesstoeducationbytheendof2015,lookasif they will not be achieved. The UN estimates that 58million children are still denied access to primaryeducation.In2000,102millionchildrenwereunabletogotoschool.

2015WillBeaCrucialYearforGlobalEducation–seep18.

IntheUK,theNASUWThasbeensupportingtheglobaleffortandhasarguedstronglyforanentitlements-basededucationagendathatcanprovideabasisforqualityeducationforall,includingby:

• tacklingpovertyanddisadvantageinsocietyasaprerequisitetoimprovingeducationaloutcomesforall;

• providingabroadandbalancedcurriculumfitforthe21stcentury;

• insistingthatall teachershavemetnationallyrelevantprofessionalstandardsandexpectations inordertoworkasqualifiedteachers;

• investinginahighlyskillededucationworkforcetosupportchildrenandyoungpeople.

ToreadthespecialpamphletpublishedbytheNASUWTtomarkWorldTeachers’Day,visit:www.nasuwt.org.uk/WTD

99

Puttingearlyyearsonthe

agenda

The critical importance of early years education is increasingly being recognised on the global education agenda but still faces many challenges

Haldis Holst, Deputy General Secretary of EducationInternational (EI), spoke exclusively to the NASUWT’sInternational Solidarity on the importance of early yearseducation, progress globally on gender equality andchildren’s rights, and the priorities for EI in the comingyear.

Whatareyourobservationsintermsoftheprogressthathasbeenachievedwhenitcomestogenderequality?

Thatisabigquestionbecausethereisnotjustonepicturearoundtheworld.That isoneofthemajorobservations.As we move forward in some countries, you will see abacklashinanothercountry.Youhavetogotoeachandeverycountrytoseewhatthingsarelike.

Generally,Ithinkwearemovingforward.Moregirlsareineducation and getting an education than before. Eventhoughwedidn’treachtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoalofgettingallgirlsintoschool,numbersareincreasing.

Weseealsothatgirlsareachievingmoreeducationthantheydid beforeand that it’snot limited toprimary; theyare getting their secondary educationmore and more and also highereducation,sodoorsareopening.

We see statistics showing more womenareachievingpositionsofpower,whetherit is as union leaders or asparliamentarians.

The area where we still really lack thenumbers is the private sector. When itcomes to parliamentarians andpoliticians, many countries or politicalparties have quotas in place. When itcomestoprivatecompaniestheyhaven’t.

In my own country [Norway], you have a 40% quota forwomenoncompanyboards.ThiswasactuallyputinplacebyaConservativegovernment,soitcanbedone.

On the other hand though, you can see we have abacklashagainstgenderequality.LookatIslamicStateorBokoHaram.Wehaveseenmovementsaroundtheworldusing gender as a way of discriminating against people,highlighting differences instead of what we have incommon.

What do you see as the main challenges and issuesfacingearlyyearseducation?

ThemainchallengeIthinkisoneofthepositivesthathashappened: early childhood education is really on theagenda and is one of the areas of education which isevolvingmostrapidly.Itisanareathathasontheonehandbeen exclusive, for the rich, that you can buy quality foryourchildren.Butontheotherhand,ithasbeenusedasatoolfordisadvantagedchildrenasawayofcompensatingforalackoffamilylife.Thesetwoaremergingandevolvingintoaserviceforchildren,notforrichparents,notforpoor

“Therearetoomany

countrieswherechildren

aren’tallowedtobe

children.Childslaveryis

theworstwayof

deprivingchildrenof

theirdignity.”

parents, but for children. This is a verypositivedevelopment.

ItwaspartoftheEFA[EducationforAll]goals and earlier this year the ILO[International Labour Organization]adopted guidelines for early childhoodeducation.Soyounowhaveinternationalstandards that you can apply to thisservice, which has been the mostderegulated service within educationaroundtheworld.Iseealotofpotential,bothforthechildrenandthepeoplewhoworkthere,butthereisalongwaytogo.

10

Incountrieswhereeducationsystemsareunderfunded,doyouthinkthatiswhereearlyyearseducationshouldbeprioritised?Isitbettertoprioritiseearlyyearswhereeducationfundsarefinite?

We say it is not our job to prioritise. Even the OECD[Organisation for Economic Co­operation andDevelopment]saysitisbettertoinvestinearlychildhoodeducation rather than higher [education] because youhaveabetterreturnfromaneconomicpointofview.

ButIwouldneverwanttoputtheseupagainsteachotherbecausewhatyouaredoingthereissayingyouhaveasetamountofresourcesforeducationandyouhavetomovethem around. I don’t believe in that because I believethereisnothingmoreimportantforasocietytoinvestinthaneducation.Ibelievethatallsocieties,allchildren,willprofitfromhavingearlychildhoodeducation.Buttherearevery few countries that offer it free to all, especially theunder­3s.Butweareadvancing.

Wehavetoarguethecasethatallchildrenshouldhaveit.ThinkoftheAfricancontinentandthinkofthegenerationofchildrenwhohave losttheirparentstoHIVandAIDS.Thesearesomeofthechildrenwhoneedthisservicemorethananyother,buttheircountriesdon’thavethebudgetstopourenormousamountsofmoney into it,butwestillhavetokeepthegoal.

Whataresomeofthebenefitsyouseeincountriesthathavewell-fundedandsustainableearlyyearseducation?

Comingfromacountrythathascomequitefar,althoughnotatthetopofthe league,weseeenormousbenefits.Weseemuchmorerobustchildrenthatcomeintoschool,not just readiness in terms of reading and writing, butbetter social skills. Everything from how to deal withconflicts with other children, how to solve problems sothatyoucanfendforyourselfwhenyoustartschoolat5or 6, and you have also learned to respect. This is notinstead of family, but in addition to family support; itprovidesasocialsetting inadditiontothehomesetting.Humanbeingsdon’tliveinonesetting.

Do you think there has been enough progress withregardtochildren’srights?

I still think we have a way to go. Even though mostcountrieshaveratifiedtheConventionontheRightsoftheChild,theyhavenotimplementedthemall.

Theultimatestep is thatyouactually respectchildrenasfull human beings. They are not just to become grown­ups, on their way to something, they have a value in

LtoR:PlaywrightandnovelistBonnieGreer,HaldisHolst,andNASUWTGeneralSecretaryChrisKeates

themselves as children. That is when we really respectchildhoodand givethemrightsbasedonthat.

HaldisHolst:Moregirlsareineducationandgettinganeducationthanbefore

Therearetoomanycountrieswherechildrenaren’tallowedtobechildren.Childslaveryistheworstwayofdeprivingchildren of their dignity. What we want is for children tohavetheirdignity.Grown­upsdon’townchildren;theyaregivenresponsibilityforchildrenbuttheydon’townthem.There are too many children today who are owned bygrown­ups.Youhavechild labour inmanyforms,not justslavery.Itisstillhappeninganditisnotacceptable.

WhatwouldyousayaresomeoftheprioritiesthatEIhasinthecomingyear?

WehavetheWorldCongressinJulyandthatwillsetourpriorities,soIcan’tdothatfortheWorldCongress.Butwedo know that the Unite for Quality Education campaignwillcontinue.Ifyoulookattheaimsofthatcampaign,thesecondonewasspecificallytargetedatprivatisation.TheEI Executive Board has endorsed the campaign againstprivatisationasamajorfocus,theincreasingprivatisationof the sector, everything from low­fee private schools inthe south to more private industry making a profit offeducation indirectly in the north, such as the testingindustry.Itisimportanttoreallyaddressthis.

What have you seen of the problem of gender-basedviolenceinschools?

Thatiswhywehavetobethereasaunion.Wehavebeenseeing too many reports coming out on violence ingeneral and gender­based violence where the finger isbeingpointedatteachers.Weallhaverotteneggsandwehave to acknowledge that. We have to say that isunacceptable.

Wewanttoturnthisaroundandsaythatifyoureallywantto do something about this problem, teachers are thesolution. You have to get teachers on board and actuallyimplementintheschoolenvironmentattitudesthatpreventthis.That isourmotivationforworkingwiththeUNGirls’EducationInitiativewhichhasreallyputthisontheagenda.

Wealsohave toworkwithpartnerson theground.Thishas tochangefromthebottomup, itcan’tchangefromthetopdown.Wehavetoworkwithpeopleonthegroundtoaddresstheproblem.

11

FROMUGANDATOTHEUK:WORKITenyearsagoMargaretRwabushijahadavisiontocreateatradeuniontoactasapowerfuladvocateforthecountry’steachers

WithsupportfromtheNASUWT,andinjusttenyears,theUgandaNationalTeachers'Union(UNATU)hasbuiltitselffromamembershipofzerotoover160,000members,representingteachersatalllevelsintheeducationsystem.

Throughskilfulnegotiationandjudicioususeofindustrialaction,UNATUhassecuredmajorimprovementstoteachers’payandconditionsofservice,includingnewmaternityandpaternityrights,endingthemiseryofwomenteachersbeingforced backtoworkwithinaweekofgiving birthorfacing dismissal.

Today,UNATUisrepresentedatallimportantforumsinUganda,runsnationaladvocacycampaignsandhasbeenasuccessfulforceintacklingthesignificantproblemofkeeping girlsandyoungwomenineducation.

MargaretRwabushija,fightingforteachersandgirlsalikeinUganda

ItisafarcryfromtheearlydayswhenMsRwabushijaandherfirstteamofunionactivistsusedtheirownmoneytotravelthousandsofdustymilesonbusesandtrailerstodrumupthosecrucialfirstmembers.Withinoneyearofbeingsetupin2003,morethan30,000teachershadjoinedUNATUandthatfigurehad doubledtwoyearslater.

MsRwabushijawasintheUKinNovemberwithhercolleagueJamesTweheyo,theGeneralSecretaryofUNATU,toaddresstheNASUWT’sConference‘EducationandGenderEquality:LearningLessons,MovingForward’andtostrengthentiesbetweenthetwounionsfollowingthecapacity­buildingtrainingtheNASUWTprovidedfortheUNATUleadership.

MsRwabushijarecalls:“Iwassoannoyed bytheinjusticeIcouldseeeverywherehappeningtoteachers.Therewasnobodytoreallyrepresentthemwhentheyhadtheirindividualstruggleswithemployers.

“Wealreadyhadaprofessionalassociationwhichhadbeeninexistencesincethe1960s,butitsroledidn’treallyaddresstherealissuesteacherswerefacing.Werealisedthatwewould bestrongerifwejoinedtogetherforthesamecauseandthatbecomingatradeunionwouldrejuvenatetheassociation.

“Teacherswererelievedtofinallyhavesomethingwhichwouldactasavoiceforthematthehighestlevelsandnegotiateontheirbehalf,butwehadtodeliverbecause,ofcourse,memberscanjustchoosetounsubscribe.

“Eventhoughtherearestillmanychallenges,Iamproudofwhatwehavebeenabletoachieve.

“Wehavelearnthowtodealwithfacts,totalknotaboutwhatwethinkandknow,butwhatourmembersaretellingus.Wehavelearnt

whentobepatient,whentonegotiate,andwhentomovetoactionasalastresort.

“Ifeelmoremotivatednowthanwhenwestartedactually,becauseIcanseetheresultsand becausememberstrulyappreciatewhatwehavedoneandcontinuetodoforthem.”

Inacountrywherecorruptionandmistrustofauthorityisapervasiveproblem,UNATUquicklyrealisedthattheyhadtoputstructuresandprocessesinplacewhichwouldearnitareputationfortransparencyandlegitimacy.

MsRwabushijamadesureshepursuedamaster’sdegreeinbusinessmanagementinordertocreatetheinfrastructurewhichwouldinspireconfidenceandtrustinmembers.TheNASUWThelpedinthisendeavourbyworkingwithUNATUon

financialmanagement,apieceofcollaborativeworkMsRwabushijadescribesas“invaluable”.

Despiteconsiderableachievements,thereareclearlymanychallengesinUgandafacingeducationandtheteachingprofession.

Teacherscanfindthemselvesinexplicablynotpaidformonths.AmeasurerecentlyforcedonthegovernmentbytheInternationalMonetaryFund(IMF)preventsthemfromrecruitingnewteachers,leavingmanyqualifiedteachers

“…teacherswererelievedtofinallyhave

somethingwhichwouldactasavoicefor

thematthehighestlevelsandnegotiateon

theirbehalf…”12

NGFORTEACHERSANDSTUDENTSwithoutjobs.And despiteamajorUNATUvictorylastyeartosecurea50%increase,teachers’payremainscriticallylowwiththeaveragewageataround£100amonth.

MrTweheyosaid:“Teachersfeelverydemoralisedandmanywanttoleave.Theeducationsystemisunfortunatelyapoliticalissue.Politicianswillpromisenewroadsasasweetener,ratherthanputtingmoneyintotheeducationsystem.”

MrTweheyoaddsthatteachersareoftenblamedforthecountry’spooreducationaloutcomes:“Schoolsaregivenagrant,butitworksoutatabout$2perpupilperyearandthemoneynearlyalwaysarrivestoolateforschoolstobenefitfromit.Itisawonderhowtheymanage.

“Teachersputalotofeffortandstruggleintotheirworkandarethenmadethescapegoatsforwhenthingsdon’twork.Itisamajorproblem.”

WhilstmanyUgandansvalueeducationasameansofsecuringstatusandprosperity,unfortunatelytherealitiesofgrindingpovertymeanmanyareforcedtotaketheirchildrenoutofschool–boysoftentoworkinhardlaboursuchaskeepingcattle,inthefishingindustryorinstonequarries,and girlstobesoldoffintomarriage.

Girlsfaceparticularbarriersbecauseoftraditionalattitudeswhichstillviewthemmainlyasnurturersandhousekeepersandbecauseviolence,includingsexualviolence,inschoolsfrompupilsandeventeachersisamajorproblem.

WithpressurefromUNATU,theUgandanGovernmentisrisingtothechallengewithanumberofgenderequalitymeasures,includingagender­sensitivecurriculum,affirmativeactionprogrammesandanationalgenderequalitystrategy.

Asamotherwithfivedaughters,Margarethasrecognisedtheimportanceofyoung girlshavinganeducatedwomantoinspirethem.

Shesaid:“Ibelievethatifyoueducateawoman,youeducateanation.

“Aneducatedmothercanlearnandprotectherchildrenagainstdisease,canhelpthemwiththeirowneducation,canhelpgirlstoseewomenasknowledgeableandstrongandaninspiration,andhelpthemtomakedifferentchoicesthanthoseimposedonherbytradition.

Children: 20 million

55%

Adults: 16 million

45%

Uganda’schildrenmakeupmorethanhalfofthepopulationof36million

Source:Unicef,

JamesTweheyo

UNATUhasalsodevelopeditsownsuccessfulTeacherActionforGirls(TAG)initiative.Asaresult,thousandsofUgandanteachershavebeentrainedingenderadvocacy,HIV/AIDSandleadershipskills.

Theemphasishasshiftedfromsimplyprotecting girlsfromchildabusetoempoweringthemwiththenecessaryskillsandknowledgetoflourishintheiradultlife.

MsRwabushijasaid:“Retaining girlsinschoolisnottheonlychallengethough.Wealsohavetomakesurethattheyareabletoexcelandthatqualityeducationisavailable.

“Itisn’tjustaboutgettingthemintoandstayingintheclassroomforitsownsake.

“EducationofwomeniscriticalinUganda.Weknowthatwithoutitgirlsbecomevulnerabletoexploitationasadultwomenandarelikelytoendupinabjectpovertyalltheirlives.”

“…teachersputalotofeffortandstruggle

intotheirworkandarethenmadethe

scapegoatsforwhenthingsdon’twork…”TenyearsonfromtravellinginatrailertrucktopersuadepeopletojoinUNATU,MsRwabushijaandtheunionhavegonefromstrengthtostrengthtobeamajorforceinthecountry.

Thesolidaritywithsisterteacherunionsaroundtheworldhasgalvanisedandinspiredherandherfellowmembers.MsRwabushijasaid:“Whenyouknowthatthechallengesyoufacearesharedwithyourfellowteachersandtradeunionistsaroundtheworld,itjustmakesyoumoredetermined.

“Itgivesyoustrengthtoknowtherearepeoplewhoshareyourvaluesandyourstruggle.”

13

MALALAHONOUR“Onebook,onepen,onechild,andoneteachercanchangetheworld.”MalalaYousafzaireceivesthe2014NobelPeacePrizeforherstruggleagainstoppression

The fight for justice in educationbecame centre stage when world­famouscampaignerMalalaYousafzaiwasawardedthisyear’sNobelPeacePrize.

At 17 years old, Malala is theyoungest ever recipient of theprestigious honour which wasawarded for her ‘heroic struggle’ inbecoming a leading spokespersonforgirls’righttoeducation.Shewonthe prize jointly with KailashSatyarthi,achildren’srightsactivist.

The Nobel Prize Committeerecognised Malala’s courage in

speaking out for equality ineducation in the ‘most dangerouscircumstances’, a recognition of thebravery which saw her almost loseher lifeafterbeingshot intheheadby Taliban fighters who wanted tosilence her opposition to theirphilosophy of denying education togirls.

Since then,Malalahascontinued tobe a powerful advocate for globaleducation – managing to balanceattendances on the world’s stagewithcontinuingherownstudiesataschool in Birmingham, where shenowlives.

Infact,Malalarevealedthatshewas

interrupted duringachemistrylessontobetoldshewasaNobelLaureate.

Speaking after the news, she said:“Mymessage tochildrenall aroundthe world is that they should standup for their rights…I felt morepowerful and more courageousbecausethisawardisnotjustapieceofmetaloramedalyouwearoranawardyoukeepinyourroom.

“Thisisencouragementformetogoforward.”

Malala’sextraordinarycatapultingtointernational adulation began on9 October 2012 when Taliban

gunmen entered a bus in the SwatValley area of Pakistan where shelived and shot her at point blankrange.Malalahad beentravellingtoschoolwithfellowschoolmates.

In the same year, the NASUWTrecognised Malala’s achievement atitsAnnualConference.TheNASUWTwasoneof the first tradeunions todonate to the EducationInternational/United Nations MalalaFundtopromotegirls’education.

“…Mymessageto

childrenallaroundthe

worldisthattheyshould

standupfortheir

rights…”

Chris Keates, NASUWT GeneralSecretary, paid tribute to Malala,saying:“Malala'sstoryremindsusofthe importance of access toeducationforallchildrenandyoungpeople and the important roleteachersplayinsecuringthatgoal.

“Malalahasshownamazingcourageand commitment to education andparticularly the right of all girls tohaveequalaccesstoeducation.”

The aim to provide education forgirls has been described as one ofthe most important human rightschallengesofthe21stcentury.

Thirty­two million girls worldwidehavenoaccess to school andmanyfemalepupilsandteachersliveundertheconstantthreatofviolence.

You can listen to Malala’s NobelLecture by going towww.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2014.

NobelPeaceLaureate2014,MalalaYousafzai

EducationInternational(EI),ofwhichNASUWTisamember,celebratedKailashandMalala’sachievement,saying:“TheEIExecutiveBoardjoinsworld leaders and ordinary people in recognising the courage, visionandtenacityofthesetwoglobaladvocatesforchildren’srights.

“TheBoardsalutesKailashandMalala,wishesthemcontinuedstrengthand offers the full support of EI member organisations, as we standshoulder to shoulder in the struggle to secure equitable qualityeducationforallchildreneverywhere.”

1414

VOCATIONALEDUCATIONAPRIORITYINGERMANEDUCATIONSYSTEM

Thestrengtheningofvocationaleducation inGermanywasevident to the NASUWT during a fact­finding mission toHamburginSeptember.

The trip was part of an exchange programme organisedbetween the NASUWT and the German Education Union(GEW).

Aspartofthetrip,theNASUWTdelegation,whichincludedthe Union’s President Geoff Branner and Junior Vice­PresidentKathyWallis,paidavisittoamassiveAirbusfacility.

Theywereabletospeaktosomeofthe800apprenticeswhoarebenefitingfromGermany’sdualeducationsystem,whichpairshands­on learningwithclassroom learning inorder togiveyoungpeoplealeg­upintheworkforce.

About60%oftheschoolleaversinGermanyembarkondualtraining.

Therearenoformalschoolingrequirementsforentrancetodualtraining,buttheschoolingbackgroundofthecandidatesisanimportantcriterionformostcompanieswhenselectingtheirtrainees.

Manyof them (43%)haveacquiredan intermediate schoolleaving certificate, although about four per cent of thetraineeshavenoschoolleavingcertificate,whereas21%haveeven acquired higher education entrance qualifications. InHamburg,theyamountto38%,thedelegationweretold.

They are trained in the workplace and at the same timeattendpart­timevocationalschoolinginordertoqualifyforoneoftherecognisedtrainingoccupationswithinaperiodoftwo,threeorthreeandahalfyears–accordingtooccupationandtheschoolleavingcertificateachieved.

LtoR:NASUWTPresidentGeoffBranner[farleft],JuniorVice­PresidentKathyWallis[centre]andEx­PresidentMickLyons[3rdright]were

accompaniedbyNASUWTofficialsVictorAgüeraandJenniferMosestomeetGEWinHamburg

Trainees attend part­time vocational school on one or twodaysperweekwheretheyaremainlytaughttheoreticalandpracticalknowledgerelatedtotheiroccupation;inaddition,theyattendclassesongeneral subjects suchaseconomicsandsocialstudiesandalsosometimesforeignlanguages.

Systematic teaching at vocational school is a necessarysupplement to process­oriented training in the company,whichisrathermorebasedonspecificin­houserequirements.

Teaching isstructuredaccordingtothe“learningsegment”

concept, in which lessons concentrate on relevantsituationsandhowtomaster thembyusing theskillsimmanenttothesubjects.

NASUWTPresidentGeoffBrannerdiscussesGermany’ssystemofdualtraining

Companiesseedualtrainingasaninvestmentandarethereforeincentivisedtoensurethattheirtraineesaresuccessful. Candidates who have passed the finalexamination are awarded a certificate, which testifiesthe successful completion of training in a state­recognisedtrainingoccupation.

The vocational system is governed by federal law. Itmeansthattraineeshaveacontractandareprotectedagainstdismissalevenaftertheprobationaryperiodhasexpired.

Mr Branner said: “I am absolutely staggered by thequality of education in German vocational schools. Itwas incredibly useful to have an alternative vision ofeducationintherun­uptothenextgeneralelectionintheUK.

“I cannot imagine a British Government having thevisiontomakesuchaninvestment.IntheUK,thereisnotraditionofintegrationbetweenbusinessandschools.

“It was especially positive to observe the number offemaleapprenticesaswemovedbetweenhangars.”

The information gleaned will be used to inform theNASUWT’sownengagementonUKvocationalpolicy.

The delegation also visited the Neuengammeconcentrationcampmemorialandwasprovidedwithapoignant reminder that trade unionists were amongthosewholosttheirlivesduringtheNaziHolocaust.

TheNASUWTtooktheopportunitytoinformtheGEWabout some of the challenges it faces in the UK. MrBrannergave apresentation inwhichheoutlined theimpact of government policy and in particular thecorrosiveimpactoftheacademisationagenda.

Followingthevisit,MsWallissaid:“Thevisitcementedinternational relations between the NASUWT and theGEW.WecanfighttogetheronissuessuchasTTIPandthevalueofpubliclyfundededucation.”

15

UNIONLEADERSFROMTHEUSSHARECAMPAIGNINGEXPERIENCE

16

The NASUWT, along with trade unionistsfrom across North Africa and the MiddleEast, Europe and North America, met inJordan to discuss the state of education intheArabregion.

The Second Conference of the ArabCountriesCross­RegionalStructurewasheldinAmmantodiscussand debatethe issuesinfluencingeducationintheregion.

Italsocalledfortheimmediatereleaseofthejailed President of the Bahrain Teachers’Association, Mahdi Abu Dheeb, and otherimprisoned trade unionists in the MiddleEast.

AnNASUWTdelegationhadmeetingswithkeyfigures,includingInternationalSolidarityAwardwinnerJalilaAl­Salman [above],VicePresident of the Bahrain Teachers’Association, the Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistanteacher unions, the ITU and KTU, and arepresentativeoftheISTTunionfromEgypt.

Around90delegatestookpartindiscussionson thestateofeducation inArabcountrieswithissuesraisedincludingtheweaknessofpublic education, illiteracy, negativeperceptions of vocational education andissues around illiteracy and ignorancecontributingtotheriseofextremism.

Education International (EI)DeputyGeneralSecretaryHaldisHolstreportedontheworkof EI in the Middle East and North Africa,includingtheeffortsofEIandaffiliateunionstodealwiththeconsequencesoftheconflictwithIslamicState.

MsHolstspokeabouttheproblemsfaced bythe ITU and KTU in dealing with bothinternally displaced people and refugeesfrom Syria, particularly teachers and theirfamilies.

The Conference overwhelmingly passed aresolution on the crisis in public educationduetotheforced displacementofpeopleinIraq,LebanonandJordan.

UnionsmeettodiscusseducationintheMiddleEast

LtoR:NASUWTofficialAbdullahMuhsinmetHananAbduhabiFaraj,ITU,and2013InternationalSolidarity

Award­winnerJalilaal­Salman

Teaching unions can continue to make themselves relevant andincreasesupportamongthepublicbyengaging inandco­leadingcommunity­orientated campaigning as part of their traditionalcampaigningandbargainingactivities.

Thatwasoneofthekeymessagestocomefromameetingbetweenleadersof theAmericanFederationofTeachers (AFT)andofficialsfromtheNASUWT.

AFTVicePresidentDanMontgomeryandseniorofficialCherylTeare[below],whoheadsuptraininganddevelopment,briefedtheUnionon its innovative Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD)programme.

It is designed to develop union activism at grassroots level byequippingunionleaderswiththetoolstoworkeffectively.

It aims to do this by developing local affiliate teams or “locals”developing individual activists, leaders and staff and by offeringindividualandonlinetrainingtodevelopskills.

Ms Teare, who developed the programme, said: “The purpose ofLEAD is toprepare leaders and leadership teams toput solution­drivenunionismintopractice.

“We are finding more and more that although teachers may berespectedandhaveapowerfulvoice,unlesstheyaresupportedbythecommunity,thevoicedoesn’tmatter.

“It’s about really helping our locals understand who is in theircommunity,howtheyconnect,whatitmeanstobeapartner.”

Mr Montgomery gave examples of how the programme wassuccessfullyhelpinglocalstocampaignforbetterworkingconditionsandpayinpartsofthestateofIllinois,butalsogettinginvolvedincommunitycampaigns.

Indisputes,MrMontgomerysaid,teachers’unionscouldnotbargainortakeindustrialactionoverissuesthatmatteredtoparentsandthepublic,buttheycouldandshouldspeakoutaboutthem.

NASUWTNationalOfficialforEducationDarrenNorthcotttoldthemeetingthatupuntilrecentlytheNASUWThadbeenworkinginacentralisedapproachtopayandconditionswithnationalagreementswithnationaladministrations.

Hesaid: “Thechallengewhenyouhaveincreasinglydifferentlocalarrangements is empowering people to be able to engage on aninformedandeffectivebasis.

“Programmesliketheoneyouhavedevelopedthatarereallytryingtoenergiseandempowerlocalactivistsarereallyimportant.”

Empoweringwomenand girlsineducationEmpoweringwomenandgirlstoachieveequalityineducationwasthethemeofamajorNASUWTConferencewithtradeunionistsandacademicsfromAfricaandEurope

TheNASUWTConference‘EducationandGenderEquality:LearningLessons,MovingForward’hadastronginternationalperspectiveandhundredsofdelegatesheardaboutgenderdiscriminationfrominternationalguestsaswellasEuropeanresearch.

Theeventbroughttogetherteachers,schoolleaders,localauthoritiesandarangeofeducationorganisationstoexplorewaysofimprovingequalityandsocialjusticeforgirlsandwomenineducation,bothintheUKandglobally.

Theeventwaschaired byEducationInternational(EI)DeputyGeneralSecretaryHaldisHolstandspeakersincludedcampaignerandauthorBonnieGreer,MargaretRwabushija,NationalPresidentoftheUgandanteachers’unionUNATU,ProfessorGabyWeinerfromtheUniversityofSussexandManchesterMetropolitanUniversity,andProfessorAverilMacdonaldfromtheWISEcampaign.

MsRwabushijatoldtheConferencethatgirlsfacedparticularbarriersinUgandabecauseoftraditionalattitudeswhichstillviewthemmainlyasnurturersandhousekeepers.Shesaidviolence,includingsexualviolenceinschoolsfrompupilsandsometimesteachers,wasamajorproblem.

SheexplainedthatwhilstmanyUgandansvalueeducationasameansofsecuringstatusandprosperity,unfortunatelytherealitiesofgrindingpovertymeanthatmanyareforcedtotaketheirchildrenoutofschool.

BonnieGreerdescribedtheexperienceofherownschoolingtoillustratehowtheprogressiveandcourageouswomenwhobelievedintheeducationofwomenwereabletounlockherpotentialandfreeher

fromthediscriminationshefacedasablackwomanin1960s’America.

Shesaid:“Beingtaughtbythesewomenwasaprivilege;observingwhattheyendured beingwomen,blackandteachersallowedmetoseewhatequalitymeansandwhatitcanachieve.”

TheNASUWT’sGeneralSecretaryChrisKeatessaid entrenched genderinequalityishamperingthelifechancesandaspirationsofwomenand girls.

MsKeatescalledforactiontoaddressthegrowing genderpaygapbetweenmaleandfemaleteachersand theunder­representationofwomeninseniorleadershippositionsinschools.

Shesaid:“Ifwedon’thavegenderequalityasapolicyobjectiveinoursightswhenpolicyisbeing devisedand implemented,thenthefuturelooksincreasinglybleak.

“Intermsoflifechancesand destinations,theinconvenienttruthisthatinthewidereconomic,socialandpoliticalsphere,thestatusofwomenlagsbehind men.”

MsHolstsaidprogresswasbeingmadeontheissueofgenderequalitybuttherewasstillmoreworktodo.

Shehighlightedthenumberofgirlsineducationand theincreasingnumberswhoarestayingoninfurthereducation,adding:“GenerallyIthinkwearemoving forward.Eventhoughwehaven’treachedtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoalofgettingallgirlsintoschool,thenumbersareincreasing.”

YoucanreadinterviewswithHaldisHolstandMargaretRwabushijaonpages10and12ofthisissue.

Readmoreatwww.nasuwt.org.uk/WomenTeachers.

SchoolsacrosstheUKwillberecognisedfortheirworktopromotegenderequalityinaboldnewinitiativelaunched bytheNASUWTattheConference.

TheNASUWT’sGenderEqualityChallenge,whichwillbeopentoallschools,willshowtheircontributionto:

• challengingsexism;• endingthesexualisationofgirls;• tacklingviolence,includingfemalegenitalmutilation(FGM),forcedmarriageand

homophobia;and• promotingthepositiveandprogressivecontributionofgirlsandwomentosociety.

Intherun­uptotheUKGeneralElectionon7May2015,theNASUWTwillbechallengingpoliticalpartiesrightacrosstheUKtomakeclearwhattheywillbedoingtoaddressthechallengesofgenderequalitythroughtheireducation,socialandeconomicpolicies.

TheGenderEqualityChallengewillbeformallylaunchedon8MarchonInternationalWomen’sDay2015,withtheworkofschoolspubliclycelebratedonWorldTeachers’Dayon5October2015.

GenderEqualityChallengelaunched

17

2015 WILL BE A CRUCIAL YEAR FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION InSeptemberthisyear,countriesfromaroundtheworldwillagreeasetofgoalswhichcouldtransformthelifechancesofbillionsofpeopleontheplanet

United Nations (UN) member states will gather in NewYork in 2015 to finalise a new set of targets – theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – to replace theMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)thatexpireattheendofthisyear.

Inadraftsetof17SDGs,thefourthgoalrequiresmemberstatesto“ensureinclusiveandequitablequalityeducationand promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.Pressure is mounting to include universal secondaryeducationasatargetaswell.

Underthesoon­to­expireMDGs,countrieswereaskedtoensurethat,by2015,childreneverywherewould beabletocompleteafullcourseofprimaryschooling.UNfiguresshow that the adjusted net enrolment rate for primaryeducation rose from 88% in 1990 to 90% in 2012, butmillionsofchildrenarestilloutsidetheeducationsystem.

Some progress has been made, but of the globaleducationgoalssetwithintheMDGs,progresshasstalled.

In fact, of around 58 million children who were not inprimaryschoolin2012,13millionhavedroppedoutand

million children and adolescents

have dropped out

121million children were thought likely to enter

school in the future

20

million children were unlikely ever to enter

school

25

million children have dropped out of school

13

ThejointreportbyUnescoandUnicefsaidthatchildrenlivinginconflict,childlabourersandthosefacingdiscriminationbecauseofethnicity,gender

anddisabilityarethemostaffected

Progress towards primary education has halted

25millionwereunlikelytoeverenterschool.Onepositive,however,isthat20millionchildrenwerethoughtlikelytoenterschoolinthefuture.

AreportpublishedlastmonthbytheUNhighlightedthegrowing problem of adolescents who are also beingdeniedtheirrighttoeducation.

In total, 121 million children and adolescents havedropped out, with children living in conflict, childlabourers and those facing discrimination because ofethnicity,genderand disabilitythemostaffected,thejointreportbyUnescoandUnicefsaid.

Thereport,Fixing the Broken Promise of Education for All,wasreleasedatthestartofwhatwillbeacriticalyearforglobaleducationand development.

Itsaidabout63millionadolescentsbetweentheagesof12and15werebeing deniedtheirrighttoeducation.Thatmeant one in five adolescents were not in school,comparedwithonein11primaryschool­agechildren.

The greatest barrier to education remains poverty,however.InNigeria,twothirdsofchildreninthepooresthouseholdswerenotinschool,whileonly5%oftherichestchildrenwereoutofschool.

Thehighestout­of­schoolrateswereinEritreaandLiberia,where66%and59%ofchildren,respectively,donotgotoprimaryschool,thereportsaid.

DrPatrickRoach,NASUWTDeputyGeneralSecretaryandEducation International World Executive Board Member,said:“Someprogresshasbeenmade,butwehavetodomuch, much more if we want to ensure children’sentitlementtoaqualityeducation.

“It is a scandal that millions of children are still beingdeniedaccesstowhatisafundamentalhumanrighttoadecenteducation.

“If we want to see universal education for every child,governmentshavetocommitfullytoinvest.

“Weneed toputmoney intogettingmorechildren intoprimaryschool,helpingchildrenstayinschoolandtakingawaysomeofthepressuresonthemtoleave,particularlygirls,andensurequalityeducation.

“Education International will continue to call forgovernments toensure that the threepillarsofaqualityeducation–qualityteaching,qualityresourcesandqualitylearningenvironments–areavailabletoallchildren.”

UnescoandUnicefsaidnewpoliciesshouldfocusonthemost marginalised children, especially children withdisabilitieswhoareamongtheleastvisible.

Readmoreatwww.unescobej.org/en/node/434

18

Ahead of the General Election in the United Kingdom, the NASUWT is urging the public to put the importance ofeducationattheforefrontoftheirmindswhentheyvote.

Manyoftheentitlementsresonatewiththecurrentglobalcampaigntoensurethatallchildrenhaveabasicentitlementtoaqualityeducation.

IntheUK,whileeducationisgenerallyconsideredtobeverygood,someoftheentitlementshavebeeneroded.

As part of its ‘Reclaim the Promise’ campaign, theNASUWTiscallingonpoliticalpartiestocommittothefollowingpromises:

n All children and young people are entitled to betaughtbyaqualifiedteacher.

n All children and young people are entitled to abroad­based,balancedandnationalcurriculum.

n Access to education should not be based onparents’abilitytopay.

n Allbarrierstoachievementforchildrenwithspecialeducationalneedsshould beremoved.

n Nochild’slifeorlifechancesshould bederailedordegraded bypoverty.

n Investmentineducationshould beakeypriorityforgovernment.

n Publiclyfundededucationshouldnotberunforprofit.

n Everychildandyoungpersonshould beguaranteedaplaceatalocalschoolorcollege.

‘RECLAIMTHEPROMISE’OFEDUCATIONINTHEUK

Readmoreatwww.nasuwt.org.uk/VoteForEducation

PROMISETHE

19

PROMISETHE

Terrorattacksonschoolsandcolleges‘highestfor40years’

Researcherstrackingterroristattackssince1970haveseendisturbingtrendsthatshoweducationalinstitutionsarebeingdeliberatelytargeted

Terrorist attacks on schools andcollegesaroundtheworldhaverisento higher levels than at any point inmore than 40 years, according to along­termanalysisofglobalterrorism.

Researchers at the University ofMaryland have recorded attacks oneducationbetween1970and2013.

TheGlobalTerrorismDatabaseshowsasharpincreaseinattackssince2004.

“…Theprimarygoalof

theseattacksappearsto

bedisruptionofthe

educationalprocess,

particularlyatgirls’

schools,ratherthanloss

oflife…”Pakistanhadthehighestnumber,butthe figures do not include themassacreofschoolpupilsinPeshawarinDecember2014.

The report, Terrorist Attacks on Educational Institutions,examinesthelong­term incidence of deliberateaggressionagainstplacesoflearning.

Butresearcherssaythatfatalassaultson schools such as in Peshawar innorth­west Pakistan, where 152studentsandstaffwerekilled,markadeadly and unusual departure fromthetypicalpattern.

Attacks on educational institutions,recordedsince1970,weremuchmorelikely to be without deaths, says thereport.

Many attacks were on unoccupiedschool and university buildings,intended to disrupt and destroyclassesandtointimidatecommunitiesratherthantokillorinjure.

“This produced a considerably lower

likelihoodthat theattackcausedanycasualties,” says the analysis fromresearchers in theStudyofTerrorismandResponsestoTerrorismproject.

Between 1970 and 2013, more thantwo thirds of terrorist attacks oneducation targets did not cause anydeaths, a much lower casualty ratethanothertypesofterroristassaults,suchasagainstthemilitaryorpolice.

Amongallterroristattacksduringthisera,educationhasrepresentedaboutthreepercentoftargets.

Pakistan,acrossthepastfourdecades,has experienced more terror attacksoneducation thananyother country.Most of these have been non­lethalattacks on school and universitybuildings, with arson or incendiarydevicesthemostcommontactics.

“The primary goal of these attacksappears to be disruption of theeducational process, particularly atgirls’schools,ratherthanlossoflife,”saystheanalysisfromresearchers.

Therisingnumberofglobalattacksoneducation includes the threat inNigeria fromtheBokoHaramradicalgroup,whichthestudysayshasbeendeliberately attacking educationinstitutionssince2008.

Attacksbythisgroupweremorelikelyto be armed assaults and bombings,withhigh­profilekidnappingssuchasthe abduction of schoolgirls inChibok.

Theresearcherssaythereisa“distinctpattern”toattacks inNigeria,withagreater prevalence of co­ordinated,multiple assaults. As an example, inOctober 2012 there were eightseparateschoolsburneddowninonenight.

The study, examining the long­termpatterns, also shows that attacks oneducation are not a newphenomenon – and not restricted tothedevelopingworld.

A coalition of United Nations (UN)agencies, human rights groups andaid organisations has also beenmonitoring the phenomenon ofattacks on schools, colleges anduniversities.

Last year, it published a reportcataloguing a range of attacks andintimidations on staff, pupils andbuildings, from individuals, criminalgangsandgovernmentforcesaswellasterrorgroups.Thisrecordedalmost10,000incidentssince2009.

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Attacksoneducationalinstitutionsshotupacrosstheglobebetween1970and2013Source:GlobalTerrorismData

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CHILDRENRETURNTOPAKISTANMASSACRESCHOOL

SchoolchildreninPakistanhavereturnedtotheschoolwhereTalibangunmenmurdered152oftheirclassmatesandteachers.

ThecountryhasbeenreelingfromtheterroristattackattheArmyPublicSchoolinPeshawarinDecember,oneofthe worst Pakistan has experienced, that became thefocusofinternationalcondemnation.

Theappallingviolencecarriedoutbythesevengunmenhorrified parents across the nation and promptedofficialstoimplementtightersecurityatschools.

The gunmen, wearing bomb vests, cut through a wirefence to gain entry to the school and then went fromclasstoclass,killing152people–133ofthemchildren–and injuring more than 120. All seven attackers werekilled.

For parents like Abid Ali Shah, getting ready for thereturntoschoolwashorrificallypainful.

Hiswifewasateacherattheschoolandwaskilledintheviolence. Both of his sons attended the school. Theyoungest was shot in the head but survived after themilitantsthoughthewasdead.

This morning they were late as they struggled withpreparationspreviouslydonebyMrShah'swife.

“Ahollownessinmylifeisgetting greater.Iammissingmywife,”hetoldtheAPnewsagency.

Hisolderson,SitwatAliShah,saidhehadmanagedtocontrolhisemotions.Itwasnotuntilhesawhisbrotherbreakdownintearsthathedidaswell.

Securitywastight,partofacountrywideefforttoboostsafetymeasuresatschoolsinthewakeoftheattack.

ThechiefofPakistan'sarmy,GeneralRaheelSharif,wasonhandinsidetheschooltogreetstudents.

Formany,attending schoolwasanactofdefianceandproof that they would not be cowed in the face ofTalibanthreatstoattackagain.

AndleebAftab,ateacherattheArmyPublicSchool,lostherson,Huzaifa,intheattack.

She arrived wearing a black dress and black headscarfandwalked brisklytowardtheschool,whereshehadlastseenhersonalive.

“I have comeherebecause theother kids are alsomykids,”shesaid.

“Iwillcompletethedreamsofmyson,thedreamsIhadaboutmyson,byteachingotherstudents.Ihavechosento get back to school instead of sitting at home andcontinuingtomourn.”

Following the tragedy, NASUWT General SecretaryChris Keates and Deputy General Secretary Dr PatrickRoachsenttheircondolencestoShujatAli,theGeneralSecretary of the Central Organisation of Teachers, themainteachers’unioninPakistan.

Theysaid:“SuchaterribleincidentisatragedyforthewholePakistaninationandfortheglobalcommunityofeducators,buttheimpactonPeshawaristrulyappalling.Our thoughts are with you and your members as youfacetheaftermathofthisterribleevent.”

“…Now,teachers,studentsandtheir

familiesaresufferingthroughanother

tragedy.

“Innowaycanwestandtotoleratethe

massacreofourstudentsforwantingto

beeducated,andinnowaycanweclose

oureyestotheassassinationofour

teachersformakingqualityeducationa

reality…”EIGeneralSecretaryFredvanLeeuwen

Teachers are the very essence ofeducation. Yet, as the world plungesintoalearningcrisis,itisthequalityofeducation that is all too oftenundermined by the sheer deficit ofwell­trainedteachers.

AccordingtotheUNESCOInstituteforStatistics, it is thought that countriesneed an extra 1.6 million teachers inclassrooms to achieve universalprimary education by 2015 and 3.3millionby2030.

However,ifyouincreasethenumberofteachers, it is essential that youincreasetheamountoftraining,sothatteachersreceiveproperresourcesandsupporttocarryoutclasses.Currently,the capacity of training institutions isnot sufficient enough to meet thedemand and it is essential to ensurethat teacher educators are trained togiveteachersappropriatesupport.

After all, the teachers of today andtomorrow need the skills, knowledgeand passion if they are to inspirechildrentolearn.

ThefutureofchildrenWorldwide,250millionchildren–manyof them from disadvantagedbackgrounds – are not learning basicliteracy and numeracy skills, let alonethe further skills they need to getdecent jobs and lead fulfilling lives.And they need properly trainedteacherstohelp.

However, insufficient numbers oftrained teachers, overstretchedinfrastructure and inadequatematerials all contribute tomarginalisation in education. Add tothat the challenge that locationpresents. Most teachers working inrural areas do not have access tolearningandprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities. The opportunity toensureteachersareadequatelytrainedcould beseenasalosing battle.

HavingworkedinNepalasateacher,Ihaveseenatfirsthandhowevenwhentraining is made available, it is not

Technologycanhelptoteachtheworld

Ifchildrenacrossthedevelopingworldaretoenjoytheirrighttoaneducation,itisessentialthatteacherstapintothedigitalworld,saysVSO’sGlobalResearchandAdvocacyAdvisorforEducation,PurnaKumarShrestha

alwaysbasedontheneedsofteachers.It tends to be a one­off event orcourse, without follow­up support oropportunities toshareand learn fromotherpractitioners.Itisalsoveryrarelybased on their contextual needs. Inmost developing countries, teachereducatorshaveverylittletraining.Thekeyrolethatteachereducatorsplayinshaping teachers’ skills is often themost neglected aspect of teacherpreparationsystems.

Thisiswhythereisanurgentneedtotrain teacher educators to prepareteachersadequatelyandeffectivelybyworkingwithteachertrainingcollegesand with groups of schools ondeveloping inclusive teachingmethods.

WorkinginpartnershipAs a leading developmentorganisation, Voluntary ServiceOverseas’ (VSO’s) response has beento send professional teachers andeducators from around the world tovolunteer and work within themainstream education system. I havewitnessed how they have beeninstrumental in overcoming thebarriers facing marginalised groups.For example, improving theprovisionofinclusiveeducation.

VSO works with local governmentoffices and ministries of education aswell as other non­governmentorganisations in assessment, strategicplanning, national curriculumdevelopment, and monitoring andevaluation.

Aspartof thiswork, theorganisationhas been exploring how mobiletechnology can solve educationalchallenges – especially for teacherslivinginremoteareas.

While mobile technology is not andneverwillbeaneducationalpanacea,it is apowerful andoftenoverlookedtool that can support education inways that have not been previouslypossible.

ThebenefitsofmobiletechnologyAccesstomobilephoneshasincreasedrapidly in developing countries. For

example, inPapuaNewGuinea,VSOfound that 92% of teachers haveaccesstomobilephones,provingthattoday, mobile technology is commoneven in areas where schools, booksandcomputersarescarce.

Withtherapid developmentofmobiletechnology, mobile learning can be asolutiontotheproblemsofdeliveringhigh­quality teacher training at lowcost.

InpartnershipwiththeDepartmentofEducation(DfE)andwithfundingfromAustralianAid,VSOconductedanSMSStory research project in Papua NewGuineatodeterminewhetherteachersreceiving dailylessonplansandstoriesviatheirmobilephoneswouldimprovechildren’sreadinginprimaryschools.

Teachers in the participating schoolsreceived an explanatory poster anddaily text messages for 100 days.Teachersinotherschools–thecontrolgroup–receivednotextmessages.

By the end of the trial, the readingscoresforchildrenintheparticipatingschools were far higher than forchildren in the control group. Therewas clear evidence that using textmessages to share lesson plans andstories with teachers helpedsignificantlyimprovechildren’sreadingability.

VSO urgently need primary andsecondaryteacherstotrainteachersinPapua New Guinea. Become a VSOvolunteer tohelp improve thequalityof education and alleviate poverty inPapuaNewGuinea.Ourvolunteersareworkingtosupportin­serviceandpre­serviceteachertrainingacrossarangeof universities and teacher trainingcolleges. VSO is becoming moreinvolved in national policies andcurriculum development and theinclusionofchildrenandyoungpeoplewith disabilities in mainstreameducation.Beginyourexcitingjourneyto Papua New Guinea by applyingtoday.

Read more about the SMS Storyproject and the work of VSOatwww.nasuwt.org.uk/International.

22

“…Itisaseriousblightonthecountry

thatMahdiremainsincarceratedfor

exercisinghisfundamentalhumanandtrade

unionrights…”

NASUWT CONTINUESCAMPAIGNTOFREEMAHDI

TheNASUWTwaspartofaUKdelegationtotheBahrainEmbassy in London, calling for the release of the jailedPresident of the Bahrain Teachers’ Association (BTA),MahdiAbuDheeb.

DrPatrickRoach,NASUWTDeputyGeneralSecretary,waspartofthedelegationled byAmnestyInternational.

The meeting was called following a national petition ofteachers which has already attracted over 37,000signaturesandactionscallingforthereleaseofMahdi.ItisthemostsuccessfulAmnestyUKactioncalltodate.

TheNASUWThasbeenworkingforthelastthreeyearsforthe release of Mahdi and today’s meeting is part of thelong­term campaign to secure his release and therestoration of employment to other teachers who haveseen their human rights violated following events inFebruary2011.

MrAbuDheebhasbeeninprisonsince2011andthereareserious concernsabouthishealthand access tomedicaltreatment. Visits from family members have beenrestricted. Amnesty has declared Mahdi a Prisoner ofConscience.During the meeting, Amnesty’s Director, Kate Green,highlighted concerns about Mahdi’s deteriorating healthand about his continued persecution in prison. Thedelegation also raised concerns regarding continuingviolations of children’s rights in Bahrain, following the

imprisonmentofchildreninadultfacilitiesandthedenialofaccesstoeducation.

TheAmbassadorundertooktorelaytotheGovernmentofBahraintheconcernsraisedatthemeeting.

Dr Roach, who visited Bahrain in 2012 and met withmembersoftheBTAand governmentministers,said:“TheNASUWTwillcontinuetopress for thereleaseofMahdiAbuDheebandwewillnotceaseinoureffortstosecurethefreedomofotherswhohavesufferedinjustice,orhavebeendeniedtherighttoworkandstudy,orwhoarestillbeing deniedtheirhumanrighttofreedomofassociationandmembershipofanindependentteachers’tradeunion.

“ThesituationinBahrainremainsofseriousconcernanditis a serious blight on the country that Mahdi remainsincarcerated for exercising his fundamental human andtrade union rights – rights which many of us take forgranted.

“WehaveaskedtheAmbassadortourgetheGovernmentof Bahrain to reinstate all teachers who have beendismissedandtotakestepstoend discriminationagainstBTAmembers.

“Attacksontherightsandfreedomsofteacherscanonlybeviewedasanattackonqualityeducation forchildrenandyoungpeopleinBahrain.”

Whatyoucando:www.nasuwt.org.uk/FreeMahdi

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LtoR:DrPatrickRoach(NASUWT),KateAllen(AI),MaxHyde(NUT),ChristineBlower(NUT),OwenTudor(TUC)

#Make

ItHapp

en

8 March 2015

www.nasuwt.org.uk/WomenTeachers

2015 Theme: Make It Happen Celebrate women’s achievements

Call for greater equality

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