Ei-iE

Resolution on migration, professional diversity and racism

published 25 July 2015 updated 31 March 2017

The 7th Education International (EI) World Congress meeting in Ottawa, Canada, from 21nd to 26th July 2015:

Notes:

1. That there is robust evidence demonstrating the link between quality education and equity of educational rights and entitlements;

2. That schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions have a critical role to play in promoting equality and diversity and in tackling inequality, including that based on the ethnicity, religion and nationality;

3. That education institutions contribute most effectively to transforming lives and life chances when they exist as inclusive communities in which the rights and entitlements of all members - staff, students and other stakeholders - are safeguarded and promoted;

4. The excellent work undertaken by Education International in standing up for migrant teachers and in developing a global strategy through the work of the Teacher Migration Task Force.

Further notes:

5. That teacher mobility is a global phenomenon that requires a concerted and coordinated effort to curb the violation of migrant teachers’ labour rights;

6. That migrant teachers often face unfair treatment, discrimination and racism;

7. That migrant teachers also face exploitation from governments and employers and, together with migrant workers in other sectors, are victimized and blamed for wider social problems;

8. That economic austerity policy in many countries has increased the extent of discrimination, scapegoating and exploitation of migrant teachers.

Believes:

9. That the exchange of ideas and experiences between teachers from different nationalities and ethnic and religious backgrounds benefits education systems, enriches the curriculum and benefits students;

10. That migrant teachers make a vitally important and necessary contribution to the provision of quality education systems;

11. Migrant teachers should enjoy the right to dignity at work, free from any form of discrimination;

12. That teacher mobility should be supported and assisted on the basis of an internationally recognised and integrated framework of teacher qualifications.

Resolves:

13. To support the work of member organisations in promoting equality for migrant teachers.

14. To continue to support the work of Education International in working with supra-national organisations, including UNECSO and the ILO, to promote the benefits of teacher mobility;

15. To campaign for the equal treatment of migrant teachers and education support personnel and to end the unscrupulous actions of some employment agencies.