In a historic move, the Education International (EI) 8th Congress carried a resolution modifying the constitution that greatly promotes gender balance in terms of representation within their own global union. As a result, open seats for election have increased to 10 from 9 – with 50% of those seats designated for women. This means the Executive Board seats will increase to 27 from 26.
EI Progress Report
EI General Secretary David Edwards delivered the global union’s Progress Report and reassured delegates that despite all the world’s tyrants, dictators, haters, racists and democracy in disarray, he believes “progress has not paused; progress is not retreating or failing as some in the commentariat would have you believe.”
He reminded delegates that four years ago, EI was months away from the United Nations passage of the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 4, the stand-alone goal for education: “It was an outcome that had been one of our highest priorities and the centrepiece of our first global campaign.”
“From Ottawa to Bangkok we mapped out a multi-tiered strategy across numerous platforms at the global and regional level. Together with you all we chose the places and spaces that positioned us, our ideas, our values and our aims squarely at the point where we could have the most influence and impact.
Throughout his speech, Edwards highlighted EI’s major achievements, campaigns and research initiatives related to the privatisation and commercialisation of public education; gender equality; Indigenous education; refugee and migrant rights; higher education personnel; education support personnel; climate change; funding of education; trade deals and copyright.
“We need the light of knowledge and information to be accessible to all so we can take the fight up to those dark forces we are fighting against. And that’s why we are pushing for an international copyright treaty to increase access to education and research resources.”
In closing, Edwards stressed the importance of member organisations of working together to bring an end to strongmen, technical advisers, privatising entrepreneurs, fearmongers,
nativists, market fundamentalists, demagogues, narcissists and managerialists.
“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We braid the knowledge of our profession, with the strength of our trade union movement and the conviction of our social justice ideals.
We are much more than knowledge workers, we are organized wisdom workers.
We speak all languages. We bear witness to all atrocities and accomplishments.
We defend the truth.”
Election results
Susan Hopgood was re-elected by acclamation. This will be her third term.
Vice-presidents
Mugwena Maluleke– South Africa for African region
Masaki Okajima – Japan for Asia Region
Marlis Tepe – Germany for European region
Roberto Franklin de Leao – Brazil for South American region
Lily Eskelsen Garcia – USA for Caribbean and North American region
General Secretary – David Edwards – USA
Election for regional seats – nominations close at 10 a.m. on July 23
Disclaimer: All third-party opinions expressed via IASWI accounts linked to and from this page are those of the individuals concerned and do not necessarily represent those of IASWI or its affiliates. No copyright infringement is intended nor implied. To discuss this disclaimer or the removal of appropriate credit for materials of which you hold copyright please contact us. All the third party videos and contents found on workers-iran.org is not hosted on our servers; all third party videos or contents are hosted on a third party site. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and news sources on the www.workers-iran.org do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the IASWI or official policies of the IASWI. These posts are only generated for the purpose of information sharing on the labour related issues.