Education International North America and the Caribbean

Addressing the teacher shortage crisis: A Global Imperative

Dr. Ben Arnold Dr. Mark Rahimi

The Global Status of Teachers 2024 (GST) report highlights a stark reality: teacher shortages constitute a crisis with profound implications for education systems in many countries. Drawing on insights from 204 teacher unions across 121 countries, the report provides an overview of the current challenges and opportunities facing the profession.

Honoring and celebrating gender diversity in the classroom

Creating inclusive educational spaces beyond the binary

Bill Farmer

The beginning of a new school year always inspires a range of emotions for both educators and students, from excitement and anticipation to anxiety and uncertainty. Reflecting on my own childhood, I can still vividly remember the nervous energy that would build as the first day of school approached. I’d...

Education voices | Teachers stand proud as allies for girls’ vision for the future

Marking the International Day of the Girl Child

On October 11, the International Day of the Girl Child, educators around the world reaffirm their commitment to advancing girls’ rights through education. This year’s theme, “Girls’ vision for the future” , highlights their potential to effect change and to build a world where all girls are protected, respected, and...

Education Voices | Arlene Inouye, Laureate of the 2024 Albert Shanker Education Award

Arlene Inouye

At Education International’s 10th World Congress, Arlene Inouye was awarded the 2024 Albert Shanker Education Award. In this article, Arlene looks back on her journey as a union activist, advocating for the rights of Asians and Pacific Islanders in education and society.

Apologies! We have some good news about teaching.

Gustavo E. Fischman Margarita Pivovarova Eric Haas

A remarkable feature of many debates about the looming global teacher shortage is the deep-rooted and somewhat predictable perspectives about the role of teachers in this situation. Unfortunately, instead of well-thought-out ideas and exchanges, it appears that when the topic involves teachers, we are stuck with antagonistic perspectives, with each...

Charting the course for elevating our profession

Dianne Woloschuk

In the lead-up to Education International’s 10th World Congress, we invited members of the Executive Board to share their thoughts about the theme of the Congress: “Growing our unions, elevating our professions, defending democracy”.

Union action for the rights of LGBTQI+ people: the experience of the CSQ

Julien Poirier

The trade union movement is no stranger to fighting for the rights, support and inclusion of LGBTQI+ people in Quebec. In this respect, the ongoing work of the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) is of particular importance. Its contribution has stood out over the years. In addition to having...

Fossil fuel subsidies and educational performance

Zeynep Clulow

Around the world, companies, NGOs, policymakers, academics and national publics are increasingly calling on governments to phase-out fossil fuel subsidies (FS) - measures that support the consumption and production of natural gas, coal and oil – as a vital step for combatting climate change and building a more just and...

Towards a Just Transition in Education: A Strategic Guide on Fossil Fuel Divestment for Education Unions

Alanah Torralba

Every year, despite recording ‘hottest ever’ temperatures, the world consumes more fossil fuels than ever before. Consequently, climate disasters also continue to rise in frequency and intensity. In 2022, for instance, a third of Pakistan’s land mass was under water for several months following record monsoon rains and melting glaciers...

Education unions grappling with Artificial Intelligence: we snooze, we lose.

Rob Weil

There is a lot of speculation regarding the future of teaching and learning in compulsory education, especially with recent developments in technology. The world-wide release of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence platforms have created a plethora of new, even more difficult, questions. What role will these AI systems play...

Who our students see

Anthony Brisson

As an educator who taught at the secondary and university levels, I quickly realized education support personnel (ESP) are the glue to our public schools. ESP are often the first people our students see when they are going to school, and the last people our students see when they get...

Education support personnel: an essential part of a quality public service

Luc Allaire

World Education Support Personnel Day on 16 May is an excellent opportunity to remember their invaluable contribution to quality education. They work in dozens of different roles, providing services in occupational therapy, psychoeducation, special education, remedial education, computer science, driving school buses, preparing meals in school, college and university cafeterias,...

In defense of public education

Randi Weingarten

The present article reproduces excerpts from the speech given at the National Press Club on March 28, 2023.

Haiti: Society and education communities in the grip of chaos

Georges Wilbert Franck

After the earthquake of 12 January 2010, that marked a painful turning point in the history of the Haitian people, the Republic of Haiti has experienced a succession of crises due to both natural and man-made disasters.

We are education! Successful trade union strategies in Mexico

Alfonso Cepeda Salas

The Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) is one of the biggest education unions in the world. It currently represents more than 1.5 million active members at all levels of education and 700,000 retired teachers. Its mission is to defend public education and protect the rights of education...

#16Days | Ending the violence against Indigenous women and girls

Tesa Fiddler

The tragedy of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls must not continue to be part of the narrative of Canada. Indigenous women and girls have experienced colonial violence and genocide for hundreds of years and it must end.

Ahead of COP 27, global leaders are still not making the grade on climate change education

Christina Kwauk

As attention focuses on Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt for the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (or COP27), climate change education advocates have their work cut out for them.

Teachers are the beating heart of education

David Edwards

This is a crucial moment. COVID-19 has had an enormous impact on education. At the height of the pandemic, 1.6 billion students were out of school. Millions are still not in their classrooms, others are struggling with trauma and loss. As the economic crisis, the climate emergency, and wars intensify...