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| Ami Vitale / Oxfam / Mauritania |
| Media - Global Action Week PRESS RELEASE: 10pm, 26th April Angelina Jolie joins GCE's Global Action Week and call for teachers GLOBAL CAMPAIGN FOR EDUCATION Angelina Jolie joined UK Chancellor Gordon Brown today on a press call to lend her support to over 100 countries campaigning this week on the theme 'Every Child Needs A Teacher'. She said: "The fact that 100 million children are out of school is shocking" It's no wonder that so many children fail to make it though the school gates – UNESCO has today released new research that shows that at least another 18 million teachers are needed worldwide, to give every child the chance of an education (see notes). Angelina Jolie is not the only one to be shocked into action, she is joining millions of campaigners all over the world during the Global Campaign for Education's Action Week. Campaigners stand united in their global actions, putting forward the 'case for teachers'. Presidents, Ministers of Education, politicians and officials are being presented with evidence that highlights the serious problems facing teachers and students. They demand immediate action, to make education for all a reality. From Bangladesh to Brazil, and Malawi to Mexico – campaigners are singing songs, painting pictures, making posters, marching streets, writing messages. At one Big Hearing in Malawi a young girl called Lusubilo Nyondo, asked a big question to her Minister of Education: "Minister – have you asked me what I need as a pupil? As you sit confidently in front of others do you think of what I need to also sit in that chair in future?" On the other side of the world, in India more than 15,000 children are campaigning for teachers, by entering an art competition on the subject. One participant was Shilpi, aged 14, has recently been rescued from child labour... "I can not properly imagine a school to paint on this large sheet of paper as I have never been to a school since I was born." she said. Angelina Jolie emphasised the importance of the Global Action Week and praised Gordon Brown, the chancellor of the UK, for showing leadership in increasing aid to education. Following years of lobbying from the Global Campaign for Education, the UK government recently announced a huge increase in aid in education - $15 billion over 10 years. Now attention turns to other rich countries who are urged to turn their promises into reality so that every child can go to school, and be taught by a qualified teacher. "I'm so glad this is happening… the campaign shows the power of young people in the world who are advocating the rights of other young people to have an education." If you can read this, thank a teacher. Notes Media Contact Person: Alex Kent +27 11 447 4111 or + 27 76 428 5390 alex@campaignforeducation.org The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) was founded in 1999. The campaign is a coalition of child rights activists, teachers' unions and development organisations that are united in their determination to make the right to education a reality. Founding member organisations include ActionAid International, ANCEFA, ASPBAE, Education International, Global March Against Child Labour and Oxfam. GCE works by mobilising public effort and opinion to exert pressure on national governments and intergovernmental agencies to provide free quality public education for all. Every year GCE hosts a Global Action Week in April that commemorates the Education For All Declaration signed by over 180 countries at the World Education Forum in Dakar, 2000. www.campaignforeducation.org Country updates - for more information of what is happening in each of the 115 countries visit: http://www.campaignforeducation.org/action/action_country_updates.html Global Campaign for Education Demands: Teachers must be at the heart of any government's effort to achieve EFA. Otherwise the only lesson children will be learning is how to cope to a life condemned to poverty. Poor country governments need to act now, making the necessary investments to ensure there are enough trained teachers to get all children into school and make sure they are taught in classes no bigger than 40. Crucially, they must also support teachers with quality training, respect and a living wage. Rich countries must increase their aid to education and ensure that it can be spent on hiring and supporting teachers. They must also work with the World Bank and IMF to ensure that harmful conditions don't undermine countries' ability to invest in building a professional teaching force. UNESCO Institute of Statistics new research entitled "Teachers and Educational Quality: Monitoring Global Needs for 2015" claims over 18 million more teachers will need to be trained and recruited in the next 10 years to allow every child to go to school and receive a quality education. The greatest challenge, the report says, lies in Sub Saharan Africa. Countries like Chad will need almost four times as many primary teachers, from 16,000 to 61,000. http://www.uis.unesco.org/ev_en.php?ID=6509_201&ID2=DO_TOPIC RELEASE DATE: 21ST April 2006 If you can read this, thank a teacher. Campaigners will be doing just that in over 100 countries during next week's Global Action Week (24-30 th April '06). The theme for this year's campaign is Every Child Needs A Teacher. Millions of children and teachers, activists for the Global Campaign for Education, are taking their governments to 'court' for their failure to give every child an education. They have painstakingly collected evidence from grassroots to national levels to compile 'dossiers' that present 'The Case For Teachers'. Next week they will be presented at national Big Hearings in over 80 countries, as politicians and governments are in the dock for failing to give every child the teacher they deserve. Teachers are the lifeblood of every education system. Going to school, having access to books and schoolrooms are useless without a good teacher. Across the world, millions of teachers, the majority of them women, are working tirelessly to educate the next generation – doing what they can in difficult circumstances, on salaries so low they need another job to support their family. Worldwide we need at least 15 million more teachers if we are to meet the Millennium Development Goal of every child completing a quality education by 2015. The number of teachers working in schools across the world at present is only 26 million. We need half as many again for all children to get through the school gates and enjoy the benefit of education that children in rich countries take for granted. With current shortages, it is no wonder that 100 million children still have no access to school, and many millions more are taught in classes of up to 100. The Global Campaign for Education believes that every child deserves to be taught in a class no bigger than 40. This can be achieved only if all governments and international financial institutions take immediate action. Rich countries must pay their fair share of the $10 billion bill for realising these children's right to education. Poor countries must play their part by planning ambitiously to expand systems. For most, this will require a massive investment in the teaching profession. On April 10th 2006, Nelson Mandela provided encouragement for GCE campaigners: Last year we made great strides in the fight against poverty and I'm proud of every one of you that joined the campaign. Now the more difficult task begins to make the world keep its promises. Campaigners in each of the 100 countries are preparing a range of inspiring events for next week. Here's a selection of what's happening: ` In Brazil campaignersare finding the characteristics of the ideal teacher which will be presented at big hearings throughout the country, and in parliament buildings. Burundi 's recent achievement of dropping school fees has resulted in huge class sizes. Campaigners are demonstrating for teachers outside the parliament. Children in Canada are creating the World's Largest Poster for Education which contains pictures and messages to the Prime Minister, asking for more commitment to education in poor countries. In Indonesia a Big Hearing is taking place in which the case for teachers will be presented. Taking to the road campaigners are rallying, and exhibiting their demands for more, better respected, better paid teachers. Children's voices will be heard across Macedonia as they take to the streets and shout for more better quality teachers. Children who present the most evidence for teachers will be awarded at a children's party at the end of the week. In Malawi politicians and celebrities are retuning back to school and being presented the case for teachers which is demanding the government to invest more in quality education and teachers. In South Africa celebrities and politicians are going Back to School. Zola, the musician and star in 'Tsotsi' is accompanying Sesame Street puppets to a primary school to vote for teachers on Freedom Day. The UK's Global Action Week is launching three months of campaigning under the slogan My Friend Needs A Teacher . Mr Mendes, a teacher from Mozambique, is joining UK campaigners to present the case for teachers at parliament next Tuesday. Students are making cut-out teachers across the country, which will be made into a Giant 'Teacher' in central London. ENDS Notes Media Contact Person: Alex Kent +27 11 447 4111 or + 27 76 428 5390 alex@campaignforeducation.org The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) was founded in 1999. The campaign is a coalition of child rights activists, teachers' unions and development organisations that are united in their determination to make the right to education a reality. Founding member organisations include ActionAid International, ANCEFA, ASPBAE, Education International, Global March Against Child Labour and Oxfam. GCE works by mobilising public effort and opinion to exert pressure on national governments and intergovernmental agencies to provide free quality public education for all. Every year GCE hosts a Global Action Week in April that commemorates the Education For All Declaration signed by over 180 countries at the World Education Forum in Dakar, 2000. www.campaignforeducation.org Country updates - for more information of what is happening in your country visit: http://www.campaignforeducation.org/action/action_country_updates.html Global Campaign for Education Demands: Teachers must be at the heart of any government's effort to achieve EFA. Otherwise the only lesson children will be learning is how to cope to a life condemned to poverty. Poor country governments need to act now, making the necessary investments to ensure there are enough trained teachers to get all children into school and make sure they are taught in classes no bigger than 40. Crucially, they must also support teachers with quality training, respect and a living wage. Rich countries must increase their aid to education and ensure that it can be spent on hiring and supporting teachers. They must also work with the World Bank and IMF to ensure that harmful conditions don't undermine countries' ability to invest in building a professional teaching force. Education International Press Release 5th April: EI President Thulas Nxesi - Governments must commit to spend more on Education Click to view in English | Spanish | French |
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