During the Tigray war in Northern Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA) condemned the damage and disruption inflicted on students, teachers and the education system. They called on relevant public authorities to put an immediate halt to the armed conflict, and highlighted the role of peace education in bringing about peaceful societies.
On September 16th, 2022, Mahsa Amini was detained by a “Guidance Patrol” in Iran for allegedly wearing a loose headscarf and thus violating Iranian dress laws. She was beaten and subsequently died. Her death sparked a furious response and protest among Iranian women and girls, who posted videos to social media (the hashtag #Mahsa Amini) showing them removing their headscarves and cutting their hair. Women around the world did the same as a gesture of solidarity. Their protest quickly spread throughout the capital, Tehran, and many other communities throughout Iran.
Last month, EI welcomed the release on bail of three Iranian teacher union activists. They were amongst the many teachers that have been arrested and detained since May Day in Iran. Despite the good news, the CCITTA and Education International call on the international teaching community to keep the pressure on the government of Iran.
The global education union community is saddened by the untimely passing on 8 August of Ted Murphy, former National Assistant Secretary of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) in Australia, at the age of 65.
On the occasion of World Education Support Personnel (ESP) Day
, Education International organised a virtual event where member organisations representing ESP at all education levels and in every corner of the globe highlighted the crucial yet underrecognised role played by ESP in quality education systems, as well as the need to provide them with decent working conditions.