MEDIA RELEASE PR36381
World Teachers' Day
BRUSSELS, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
- Build the Future: Invest in Teachers Now!
In the face of the global economic crisis, it is vitally
important that governments invest significantly in public education, making
it a cornerstone of economic recovery plans. Education International, the
global union federation representing 30 million teachers around the world, is
appealing to the international community to take urgent action to ensure that
children are not made to pay for the crisis.
"The right to education of a whole generation of children has
been put at risk by those whose greed and irresponsibility created the
crisis," said Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary of EI. "As teachers and
trade unionists we intend to do our utmost to ensure their opportunities to
learn are not jeopardised. But governments too must do their part by putting
into place the policies and funding necessary to bridge the global teacher
gap."
World Teachers' Day, October 5, is marked annually to
celebrate the immense contribution made by the world's approximately 55
million teachers to their students, schools and societies. This year
Education International, the International Labour Organisation, UNESCO, UNDP
and UNICEF have issued a joint statement calling upon governments,
communities, national and international institutions everywhere to act
decisively to achieve Education for All. In addition, they are seeking
mechanisms that protect teachers and ensure that education investments match
demand at all levels of education.
"There is an acute shortage of qualified and trained teachers,
especially in the developing world where enrolments at all levels are
increasing. It is estimated that 2.4 million teachers (1.2 million new
teacher posts) will be needed between 2007 and 2015 in sub-Saharan Africa
alone to achieve Universal Primary Education. Lack of training, professional
development and growing recruitment on a contract basis weaken education
quality. But the profession is also gravely affected by poverty, the HIV and
AIDS pandemic, natural disasters, conflict and violence against teachers in
school," according to the statement.
On World Teachers' Day, do you want to say "Thank you" to a
teacher who made a difference in your life? Electronic greeting cards are
photos of your World Teachers' Day activities and read the "tweets" about
celebrations in different countries across the world.
Media contact: Monique Fouilhoux, Deputy General Secretary
+32-2-224-06-11, 5oct@ei-ie.org
SOURCE: Education International
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