Educators commemorate
International Human Rights Day
The
Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: "Everyone has the right
to education".
This
landmark document, adopted on 10 December 1948, also declares that:
"Education shall be free... Education shall be directed to the full
development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human
rights and fundamental freedoms".
Educators
around the world are committed to these goals, but almost 60 years after the
Declaration became international law, its promises remain unfulfilled for
millions of children who are still denied their right to education.
On the
occasion of Human Rights Day, 10 December, Education International and its 30
million members are ready to take a lead role in achieving full universal
access to education for all. However, the global shortage of properly trained
and qualified teachers further threatens this fundamental human right.
Estimates of
the number of teachers needed in the next years to reach the UN Millennium
Development Goals by 2015 vary but UNESCO projects that over 18 million
teachers will be needed to achieve universal primary education by 2015.
A new EI
survey carried out in six Anglophone Sub-Saharan African countries revealed a
serious shortage of qualified teachers, both at primary and secondary levels,
in Gambia, Lesotho, Tanzania and to some extent Uganda. In Lesotho, for
example, 44% of primary school teachers and 42% of the secondary school
teachers were unqualified. Teacher shortages are particularly acute in remote
rural areas and in certain subjects, such as mathematics and science.
"Globally
speaking, the teaching profession is not valued highly enough - in terms of
recognition or salary," says Fred van Leeuwen. "It's unfortunate that
governments tend to regard education as more of a cost than the crucial social
investment it is."
Vernor Muñoz
Villalobos, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, said: "There
is a need to recognise education as a human right rather than an economic
good." He told delegates at EI's World Congress last July that: "The
right to quality education requires that the learning process and the school
environment aim at building"knowledge into a society with human dignity,
diversity, peace and cooperation."
Throughout
next year, EI will participate in activities celebrating the 60th anniversary
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2008. For more information,
please go to:
http://www.ohchr.org
http://www.knowyourrights2008.org
To read the
full text of the Education International study, see:
http://www.ei-ie.org/statusofteachers/
