NewsLetter Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG)
First Edition, March 2025
My name is Mabutho Cele, the Convener of Commonwealth Teacher’s Group (CTG). Foreword by CTG Convener, Cde Mabutho Cele
I am very excited and honoured that today we are publishing our first electronic newsletter as CTG in line with our 2024 Convention resolution.
CTG has come a long way with a number of challenges and success.
CTG was not immune from COVID-19 as our work and activities were adversely affected by the lockdowns, and travel restrictions. We dip our flags for those who departed this world as a result of the pandemic.
The 2024 Argentina Convention committed to reviving the CTG and ensuring that we amplify the voice of the teachers within the Commonwealth Education Ministers Meetings and Commonwealth Head of Government Meetings. In 2024, we successfully attended the CCEM held and hosted at the Commonwealth Secretariat Headquarters and, also, we attended the CHOGM held at Apia, Samoa, and we made a meaningful contribution on behalf of teachers and none-teaching education personnel. This newsletter is an endeavour in the fulfilment of that commitment and, also to ensure that this commitment is carried through to raise issues affecting education and teachers within the Commonwealth family.
We commit to align our programs with the Education International (EI) resolutions and campaigns.
We commit ourselves to support EI campaigns such as “Go Public, Fund Education”, education as a public good not to be commodified, Teacher mental Health, Professionalization of the teaching Profession, Skilling and development of Teachers, improved remuneration of teachers, and so on.
With this newsletter, we hope to share from the vastness of our country’s experiences, good practices and expertise from teachers by teachers, for teachers, including how we should prepare for future pandemics.
We are also planning to host our first ever webinar as CTG, under the theme: “Free, Quality, Public Education: What role should the CTG play”. We look forward to being with you during the webinar.
I wish to conclude by quoting the first Democratic South African President, President Mandela. I quote: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.
I thank you .
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Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG) First Edition, March 2025
CTG REPORT ON THE MEETING OF CONFERENCE OF COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION MINISTERS HELD AT COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT HEADQUARTERS IN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM ON THE 16 to 17 MAY 2024 Introduction Commonwealth Education Ministers met in London in a Meeting called 2nd CCEM. The 22nd CCEM was organized and hosted by Commonwealth secretariat at its headquarters, Marlborough House, in London from the 16 to 17 May 2024. The Kenyan Education ministry of education chaired the conference. The 22CCEM was preceded by the meeting of senior education officials who received varois presentations. These are regular meetings that take place on regular basis wherein education minister from the Commonwealth countries meet to discuss and agree on policy matters meant to improve the quality of education within the commonwealth nations. The overarching purpose of the CCEM is to provide a platform ministers, senior government officials, educators, teachers, development partners, civil society, policy makers and other stakeholders to collaborate. This enables member countries to design and align their education systems given their different and unique context, histories, social structures and culture, systems of governments for common development and economic growth.
The theme of the conference was: “Driving Resilience, Equity, and skills for an inclusive future”
Conference report At the 22CCEM CTG was represented by Cdes Mabutho Cele, CTG Convenor and SADTU Deputy President, and Nthabiseng Nkosi, CTG secretariat and SADTU International Relations Officer. CTG was given an observer status at the conference however CTG was given a five-minute slot to present at the meeting of the senior officials. The presentation was done by the Convenor and was well received by the conference. The conference had three and four syndicate sessions over the two days respectively. To the extent that CTG was represented by two people its voice could only be heard in two syndicate groups at a time. However, the attendance of CTG was appreciated and felt.
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Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG) First Edition, March 2025
The presentation by CTG focused on a few demands which included, increasing of public education to 20% or 6% of GDP for all member countries, Reviewal and an implementation of the Protocol for Recruitment of Commonwealth Teachers and UN High Level Panel on Teacher Professionalism, support of mechanisms and structures (including Teacher Unions) that influence policy development, use of technology and AI to enhance teaching and learning not to replace teachers, investment in professional development and human capital development inclusive school leadership development, ensure that schools are safe havens for teaching and learning, access to internet should be declared a human right to ensure that even teachers and learners in rural areas have access and other issues. Our observations and Wayfoward The Commonwealth Secretariat is involved in number of developmental programs with various stakeholders such Commonwealth youth and others. Some of these programs get recognition and funding from the commonwealth secretariat. CTG is not getting any funding from secretariate, yet some groups are. That CTG was not well presented to can be able to attend all break-away sessions. We hope to suggest the CTG be given a full participatory status in both the meeting of the senior officials and the education ministers. Further that if the CTG be granted the number of delegates that is congruent to the number of break-away sessions for representation in all thematic discussions. CTG will need attend all strategic meetings of the Commonwealth and should develop an annual program to advocate and campaign to influence policies in favour of commonwealth teachers and children. This may require funding hence we request unions to assist where possible. As of now SADTU and NEU are jointly funding attendance of CTG to meetings. CONCLUSION Overall, the conference proceeded very well. Presentations and discussions were indeed of high quality. To the extent that CTG does not only influence Education Ministers but Head of states as well we need to ensure that CTG is visible and influence at all CHOGM meetings.
Prepared by CTG Secretariat
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Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG) First Edition, March 2025
Get to know Cde Mabutho Cele, CTG Convener Mabutho Cele became a member of SADTU in 1994 when he began his
teaching career Sisebenzile School. In 2003, Cde Cele was elected Education
Convener and Branch secretary for the uMlingo branch then, now named
Victoria Mxenge in the Durban South Region, KwaZulu - Natal. In 2005, he
became the Deputy Chairperson of the Durban South Region and two years
later, the regional secretary.
In 2009, Cde Cele was elected regional chairperson of Durban South Region. In 2011, he was elected KwaZulu-Natal’s Provincial Chairperson. During the 8th National Congress in 2014, Cde Cele was elected Deputy President and was re-elected during the 9th and 10th National Congress in 2019 and 2024. He is the former District Secretary of the SACP in Durban South District and former DEC member. He is former Ward 82 BEC member of the ANC branch and still a member, in Ethekwini Region. Alternative member of COSATU CEC and council member of ITUC Africa Region. He currently holds a Master’s degree in Education Leadership, Management and Policy development. He is currently employed as Principal of Thamela Primary School in KZN. Cde Cele is chairperson of the South African Council for Educators (SACE). Deputy Chairperson of education labour relations council. He is Former President of Africa Federation Teacher Regulatory Authority (AFTRA) and currently the Deputy Secretary General. During the Education International (EI) World Congress held in 2019 in Thailand, Cde Cele was elected convenor of the Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG), he was then re-elected at its EI’s 10th World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina during July 2024. As SADTU Deputy President, Cde Cele’s priorities include working on cadreship development with an emphasis on unionism in order for the Union to achieve the 2030 Vision buttressed by ideological unity and cohesion; fight injustices in education brought by privatisation, commodification and marketisation of education locally and internationally.
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Get to know Cde Beverley Park, CTG Committee Member Beverley Park is one of the two representatives of the North American Caribbean region of the Commonwealth. She is the Director of International Programs at the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE). She is in her fourth decade as an education professional having started her teaching career in 1981 in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada’s most easterly province. She moved rom the classroom to the District Office after a short
time and there coordinated programming at the regional level.
The next step was to become a program officer (and later Director) at the provincial union: the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association. Her career might have ended there, but her many experiences, including her volunteering with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) international program led her to apply for a position there. In 2017 she joined the CTF/FCE’s international team as program. In 2022 she became Director, the role she is in today. Her work, focused on leadership, union capacity building, teacher professionalism, and gender equality has taken her around the globe many times. At the 10th EI World Congress Beverley was presented with the Education International Distinguished Associates Award recognizing the contribution made to the work and development of EI, and the commitment to helping promote and implement the organization’s policies and programmes. “My aspirations for the Commonwealth Teachers’ Group would be for the group to take inspiration from two key documents – the report of the UN High Level Panel on the Teaching Profession and the EI’s Global Status of Teachers report. These documents are excellent in laying out the status of teachers and of the profession, and the state of education in the world. We could delve into the recommendations to better understand them in the countries we represent in the Commonwealth. While we may not be able to take action as a group, we could perhaps identify ways to bring these reports to life in our own jurisdictions or in our regions. I see this year as a learning experience for all of us- an opportunity to build connections, to learn and grow together.”
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I am the International Secretary of the National Education Union in the UK. I have worked for the NEU and its predecessor union, the NUT, since 2009, initially as a senior policy adviser in the education team specialising in the privatisation of education. I became International Secretary in 2020. Get to know Cde Celia Dignan, CTG Committee Member
Before joining the union as a staff member, I was an active member of the NUT in north London where I
worked as a primary school teacher. As a union activist, I fought alongside colleagues against cuts in school
funding and to teachers’ pay and to secure safeguards for teachers against ever-increasing workload.
My aspirations for the Commonwealth Teachers’ Group (CTG) are to see it work effectively in bringing
together Commonwealth unions to speak with one voice on some of the key issues that affect us all. For
example, there is an urgent need to address the global teacher shortage: 44 million teachers are needed if
the world is going to meet its commitments to the sustainable development goals. As trade unionists, we
must ensure that the teacher recruitment and retention crisis in the global north is not solved at the
expense of global south countries. To this end, I would like to the CTG to push for a recommitment from
Commonwealth Education Ministers to the Protocol for the Recruitment of Commonwealth Teachers first
adopted in 2004. Other priorities for the CTG must include ensuring governments take the necessary steps
to meet their commitment to SDG4 and ensuring all children can access inclusive and high-quality
education by 2030.
Education unions are a powerful voice when we work together and the CTG has a unique opportunity to
influence decision-making at the highest level. Let’s make sure we use our voice and our strength effectively
for the benefit of educators across the Commonwealth.
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Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG)
Get to know Cde Chris Weaver, CTG Committee Member I am honoured to serve as a committee member of the Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG) and to contribute to its mission of advocating for teachers’ rights and quality education across the Commonwealth.
As National Official (Campaigns & Communications) at NASUWT - The Teachers’ Union, I lead the union’s political
engagement and manage relationships with a wide range of external organisations, both domestically and internationally. My role involves shaping policy, leading strategic campaigns, and ensuring that the voices of teachers are heard at all levels of decision-making. Beyond my work at NASUWT, I also represent Education International on the Board of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), where I contribute to the global movement advocating for the right to free, quality education for all. This role allows me to engage with international education policy, support grassroots campaigns, and work alongside unions and civil society organisations to push for equitable education systems worldwide. As part of the CTG, I aspire to foster greater collaboration among education unions across the Commonwealth, share best practices, and strengthen our collective advocacy efforts. By uniting our efforts, we can drive meaningful change and ensure that teachers receive the recognition, support, and respect they deserve.
I look forward to working alongside my fellow committee members to advance our shared goals and make a lasting impact on education worldwide.
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A profession the world needs: reclaiming trust and status in teaching By Rebeca Logan, Director of Campaigns and Communication, Education International A profession the world needs: reclaiming trust and status in teaching
The latest Global Status of Teachers Report by Education International (EI) presents a stark portrayal of a profession
on the brink. Drawing on insights from 204 education unions across 121 countries, the report identifies severe
teacher shortages across all levels of education, driven by inadequate salaries, lack of recognition, and deteriorating
working conditions.
Authored by Dr. Ben Arnold and Dr. Mark Rahimi from Deakin University in Australia, EI’s flagship report provides a
comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing teachers worldwide. The findings confirm what
education unions have long warned: without urgent reforms, the teaching profession risks collapse in many parts of
the world.
What do we mean by teacher status?
Despite their vital role, teachers across the globe remain undervalued, with limited professional autonomy,
restricted labor rights, and a lack of public recognition for their expertise and contribution. At the same time,
deteriorating working conditions leave them struggling with large class sizes, administrative burdens, and growing
emotional demands, all exacerbated by inadequate mental health support and unsupportive work environments.
Education is relational, not transactional. The status of teachers extends beyond material compensation. It is a
multifaceted concept shaped by how teachers are treated, valued, and supported. According to the report, three
key aspects define it: economic security, professional recognition, and working conditions.
Competitive salaries that reflect teachers’ qualifications and responsibilities are essential to attract and retain the
professionals we need to deliver quality education. But financial stability alone is not enough. Teachers must be
recognised as experts in their field and granted professional autonomy, with a real voice in shaping education
policies that affect their work and their students' futures.
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A global shortage with local challenges
Although teacher shortages have become a global crisis, their causes and consequences vary across regions and local
contexts. In Australia, nearly half of teachers report they may leave the profession within five years, citing stress,
workload, and inadequate pay. The United Kingdom faces similar challenges, where excessive workloads, rising
privatisation in education, and the pressures of standardised testing have made teaching an increasingly unattractive
career.
The report finds that in many countries, teachers are paid significantly less than other professionals with comparable
qualifications, making teaching one of the lowest-paid professions relative to skill level. In South Africa, for example,
experienced teachers earn far less than mid-career professionals in other fields, leading to high turnover rates. The
situation is even more severe in rural areas, where underqualified or unqualified staff are often leading classrooms
due to a lack of trained teachers.
A similar challenge is unfolding across the Caribbean, where poor salaries and limited career progression have driven a
wave of emigration among teachers. Many educators are seeking better-paying opportunities abroad, further
depleting local education systems of experienced professionals.
In India, a different but equally concerning trend has emerged. The reliance on untrained contract teachers—who
often work without job security or benefits—has further destabilised the profession. Without long-term investment in
permanent teaching positions, teacher retention will continue to decline, weakening public education systems in the
long run.
Even in countries with well-funded public education systems, teacher shortages remain a pressing issue. In Canada,
early retirements and high attrition rates, particularly in STEM subjects and special education, are placing immense
strain on schools. Rising workloads and stagnating salaries have only worsened the situation, discouraging young
people from entering the profession and prompting experienced teachers to leave.
Rebuilding a high-status, high-retention profession
The Global Status of Teachers report calls for bold and urgent action to address the crisis in the teaching profession.
.Governments and stakeholders must ensure competitive salaries, job security, and clear career progression
opportunities. Without fair pay and stable career prospects, education systems will continue to lose their best
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educators.
Beyond wages, teacher well-being must also be prioritised. Workloads need to be reduced, mental health support strengthened, and working conditions improved to create sustainable career paths in education. Respect for the profession is equally crucial. Teachers must have a stronger voice in shaping education policy, with fair collective bargaining agreements, equitable resources, and genuine engagement in decision-making processes. Investment in public education is also critical. Governments must commit to fully fund public education systems and resist privatisation trends that divert resources from public schools. Countries that prioritise education as a public good, rather than a market-driven service, will be better positioned to attract and retain qualified teachers. Go Public! Restoring trust in the teaching profession To achieve these necessary reforms, education unions worldwide are leading efforts to strengthen the teaching profession and secure better working conditions for teachers. The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) has been pushing back against funding cuts that threaten the quality of public education. In India, unions are mobilising against government policies that replace full-time teaching positions with precarious, short-term contracts. Across the Caribbean, teacher organisations are demanding stronger job protections to address the ongoing brain drain. Similarly, in South Africa, unions are advocating for rural teacher incentives to address disparities in staffing and ensure that every student, regardless of location, has access to a qualified teacher. In the UK, education unions have successfully fought back against attempts to reduce pension benefits, protecting teachers’ long-term job security. Get involved Explore the full findings and recommendations of the 2024 Global Status of Teachers Report. Download the full report, read an exclusive blog by the authors, and access our communications toolkit to amplify the message. Now is the time for action. Join EI’s Go Public! Fund Education campaign to demand the investment and respect that teachers deserve. If you need guidance on using the report in your collective bargaining negotiations, or have any further requests, don’t hesitate to contact us at communications@ei-ie.org
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Women Empowerment: Holistic Progress Redefined From the desk of Sri Nabakumar Karmakar, General Secretary, AIFEA,INDIA & NATIONAL AWARD RECIPIENT RETD. HEADMASTER.
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron.
In this present age of advancement in socio-cultural, economic, political and academic horizons, women have occupied very significant place. The path to women empowerment and gender equality in India is a rewarding journey of resilience, struggle and beaming hope and scintillating splendour to dismantle the edifice of deeply ingrained patriarchy. To put it in the words of G.D. Anderson ,“ Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” Women empowerment means offering the legitimate, equal and unbiased right to education, employment, safety, participation in the political fields, both nationaland international, voice of protests against all discriminations and evils of a society, nay a nation atlarge, right to have and to determine choices, right to have power to control their own lives, both within and outside the home. Even God realized this when He created man. He created Adam first. But soon He realized that the world was incomplete without a woman. So He created Eve. Herein lies the seed of women empowerment and the intrinsic potentiality of women, which is a proven fact today in all respects. “Education International”, quite rationally and legitimately, has already launched a vigorous campaign to promulgate the indispensable necessity of women empowerment. The AIFEA has been consistently and religiously following and promoting this message and has already organized many workshops in India. The first Asia Pacific women’s conference was held at Bangkok in July ,2024 and it was a brilliant success of the AIFEA to strengthen this mission. They also organized workshops on women empowerment at Telengana in Hyderabad in August ,2024 , at Jalgaon in Maharashtra, in Patna and in Kolkata of West Bengal. They are committed to spreading this significant message in India so that people feel that women empowerment is no longer a myth, but a reality and this reality is the mark of real progress of a nation.
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“Women empowerment is being respected highly in Sri Lanka. Female suffrage is in force in New Zealand since 1856. The Asia Pacific countries like Japan, Indonesia and Thailand have been enjoyingthe bliss of women empowerment. “We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back”, rightly says Malala Yousafzai. It is very flattering to note that one third seats in the election contests in India are now reserved for women. In the Indian states like Rajasthan, Odisha and West Bengal, the enrolment of girls in schools, colleges and university has substantially increased to drive the point home that girls are excelling in education too. In the Madhyamik Pariksha or equivalent and the Higher Secondary Examinations or equivalent, female-examinees are more in number than their male counterparts, particularly in 2025 in West Bengal. Women today no longer lag behind men. They are rather worthier and very often much better competitors than men. Let the voice of women be:
“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise.” ( from the poem “Still I Rise” of Maya Angelou)
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Multiplicity of Teachers' Unions in the Education Sector and Its Effects on Teachers: The Case of Zambia. By CLIFFORD M. SALUSEKE DIRECTOR RESEARCH AND PROJECT BASIC EDUCATION TEACHERS UNION OF ZAMBIA Introduction
The education sector in Zambia has witnessed a proliferation of teachers' unions over the years. While unions play a
crucial role in advocating for teachers' rights, improving working conditions, and negotiating salaries, the existence
of multiple unions has raised concerns regarding its impact on the welfare of teachers. This paper explores the
implications of the multiplicity of teachers' unions in Zambia and assesses whether this fragmentation benefits or
disadvantages educators.
The Growth of Teachers' Unions in Zambia
Historically, Zambia had a single dominant teachers' union, the Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT). Over
time, additional unions emerged, including the Secondary Schools Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ), the Basic
Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ), and the Professional Teachers Union of Zambia (PROTUZ). As at
January 2025 the education sector had 13 registered unions namely Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zambia
(ARTUZ), Basic Education Teachers’ Union of Zambia (BETUZ), Educators Trade Union of Zambia (EdTUZ) National
Educators’ Union of Zambia (NEUZ), National Teachers’ Union of Zambia (NATUZ), National Union of Public and
Private Educators of Zambia (NUPPEZ), Professional Teachers’ Union of Zambia (PROTUZ), Progressive Educators’
Union of Zambia (PEUZ), Secondary School Teachers’ Union of Zambia (SESTUZ), Special Education Teachers’ , Union
of Zambia (SPETUZ), United Teachers' Union of Zambia (UNITUZ), Zambia Teachers Union (ZATU) and Zambia
National Union of Teachers (ZNUT). Currently there are 140,000 unionized teachers against the 13 teachers unios.
The Basic education teachers Union (BETUZ) is the biggest with over 68,000 members.
These unions were established to address specific issues within the profession but have also led to division among
teachers.
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Effects of Union Multiplicity on Teachers Fragmentation of Bargaining Power 1.
Multiple unions weaken collective bargaining strength.
The government and employers may exploit divisions to push unfavorable policies.
Competition and Rivalry Among Unions 2.
Teachers' unions compete for membership, sometimes prioritizing numbers over effective service delivery.
Conflicts among unions can hinder unity in addressing teachers’ concerns.
Confusion Among Teachers 3.
Teachers struggle to choose the best union, often receiving conflicting information.
Some teachers suffer double or multiple membership subscription.
Lack of a unified voice creates uncertainty in decision-making.
Duplication of Efforts and Resources 4.
Multiple unions replicate services rather than consolidating efforts.
Resources that could be used for development initiatives are wasted on administrative competition.
Varied Levels of Representation and Advocacy 5.
Some unions may be more effective than others, leading to unequal representation of teachers’ interests.
Weak unions may fail to hold the government accountable for teachers' grievances.
Potential for Political Influence 6.
Some unions may align with political entities, influencing their independence and effectiveness.
Political affiliations can lead to divided loyalties and hinder objective advocacy.
Possible Solutions
Formation of a Unified Teachers' Federation: A central body could coordinate union activities while maintaining
individual union identities.
Improved Collaboration Among Unions: Encouraging cooperation on key issues would strengthen collective
bargaining.
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Policy Reforms on Union Regulations: Government intervention may help streamline union activities to enhance
efficiency and reduce conflicts. The advocates for teacher union amalgamation are calling for amendments to
section 9 Act No. 30 of 1997 of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act, Cap 269of the Laws of Zambia. This law
is the basis for fragmentation of the labour movement in the country.
Conclusion
The multiplicity of teachers' unions in Zambia has both positive and negative implications. While it provides
teachers with options for representation, it also weakens bargaining power, creates unnecessary competition, and
causes confusion. Addressing these challenges through unity, collaboration, and policy reforms can ensure that
teachers' interests are effectively represented and safeguarded.
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Basic Education Law Amendment (BELA) Act (Grade R), Go Public! Fund Education Campaign and Cost Containment Measures By Dr. Malau David Matsepe, Head of Research, South African Democratic Teachers Union
The BELA Act sought to amend the South African Schools Act to make school attendance compulsory from Grade R and no longer from Grade 1.
With Treasury cutbacks threatening teacher job cuts countrywide, we believe that BELA Act represents the collective will and desire of the majority to transform South Africa’s basic education system from an apartheid design to a democratic, value-based system that ensures every child’s right to access quality public education. We therefore call on government to invest on education in particular Grade R to deal with functional and foundational skills by sharpening the skills of our children at the early age because no nation can be successful in building an inclusive economy unless you build a very strong foundation for children.
The government has indicated that there will be a reallocation of resources, but there is no new money allocated for the implementation of Grade R.
·We need Grade R, which will be good for the schooling system.
·We believe that the cheapest way to fix the schooling system is to do it early so by the time children are in Grade 3, they can read and be numerate.
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Amid the political discord over the BELA Act, there are growing concerns about the financial burden it may place on the government.
New policy like compulsory Grade R schooling is a noble initiative as it is likely better to prepare young children for entry into formal school.
·Having said this, this initiative needs to be backed up by appropriately qualified teachers, and classrooms and teaching resources must be available.
That’s why SADTU is embarking on Go Public! Fund Education Campaign as an urgent call for governments to invest in public education, a fundamental human right and public good, and to invest more in teachers, the single most important factor in achieving quality education.
·This means guaranteeing labour rights and ensuring good working conditions, as well as manageable workloads and competitive salaries for teachers and education workers.
·It also means valuing teachers, respecting teachers, ensuring they are central to decision-making, and trusting their pedagogical expertise.
The introduction of compulsory Grade R will also have a material impact on staffing and infrastructure provision and we therefore call on government to invest more funding on public education for reskilling and training of Grade R teachers and to build more classes.
This will demonstrate the government accountability to provide quality education for all, human dignity and social justice.
We fully support the implementation of the BELA Act in that it will bring about the changes to integrate, deracialise and democratise schools.
· It’s not doubtful with any new legislation like BELA Act in a country with a diverse population like South Africa and given the unevenness of the country’s education landscape, contestation from those who felt that their powers were being eroded was expected.
·
END
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Australian education unions lead the way on new collective bargaining rights By Brad Hayes Federal Secretary Independent Education Union of Australia (IEU) Over the last 2 years, education workers in Australia have experienced the biggest change in workplace laws for
decades.
And the good news is that these changes, introduced by the Australian Labor Party, have reinstated critical workplace
rights for workers and their unions.
Union member campaigns, including those by EI affiliates the AEU, NTEU and my union the IEU, were instrumental in
winning the reforms and bringing fairness to Australian workplaces.
While the new laws benefit Australian workers in many areas, a stronger right to collective bargaining has been the
biggest change for IEU members.
Previous conservative anti-union governments in Australia gutted the rights of workers and imposed major hurdles on
unions seeking to bargain or exercise their right to strike.
Thanks to the political and organising campaigns of Australian unions, we now have access to a much-improved
bargaining system that is no longer stacked against workers.
The teacher shortage in Australia has been exacerbated by stagnant pay and working conditions that have eroded the
appeal of education as a career, and have driven down recruitment and retention rates. Strong bargaining laws have
increased the capacity of the profession to secure wage increases and improvements to their daily work, restoring
their status as professionals and allowing them to focus on their core task - teaching and learning.
Access to multi-employer industry wide bargaining
Prior to the 2023 reforms, tens of thousands of IEU members had been forced to bargain under a system that locked
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them out of multi-employer bargaining and denied them basic bargaining rights. However, new multi-
employer bargaining laws now provide an opportunity for members to bargain on a level playing field
where basic rights are restored.
IEU members are making the most of these new laws. We are leading from the front winning improved
bargaining outcomes.
The IEU (along with our AEU colleagues) secured a groundbreaking multi-employer agreement that will
deliver much improved wages and conditions to 32,000 early childhood education workers. These workers
now have the benefit of union led bargaining for the first time.
And this is just the beginning. Other multi-employer bargaining negotiations are now underway across
hundreds of schools and early childhood education services.
Fairer bargaining laws were hard-fought and took years of tough community and workplace campaigns.
They are also under threat of being scrapped by future conservative governments who oppose the laws and
have joined big business in attacking collective bargaining rights.
However, IEU members are committed to take full advantage of our new bargaining rights:
§ How can we bargain in a smarter, more efficient and strategic way across thousands of schools and early
childhood providers?
§ How can we maximise opportunities for member recruitment and delegate development during
bargaining?
We’re always on the bargaining treadmill – the IEU negotiates over 800 agreements across the country. And
just like a treadmill, it feels like we have expended a lot of energy without getting closer to where we need
to be – stronger unionised workplaces in every school.
While school by school bargaining has delivered some important member wins, it hasn’t kept up with
declining rates of agreement coverage across the Australian workforce. And it’s failed to really ‘shift the dial’
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in a meaningful way with increased union membership.
Bargaining on an industry or sector level now offers us a new approach.
Multi-employer bargaining gives us the power to prioritise growth. We can consolidate union resources to
sharpen our focus on a smaller number of targeted negotiations covering multiple employers within the
same agreement.
We can free up single-site bargaining resources to organise the thousands of free-riders (non union
members) who, under the Australian system, continue to benefit from our union agreements.
It’s an exciting time to be an IEU member in Australia.
While many challenges remain in our schools and our workplace laws are far from perfect, for the first time
in a long time we have a fighting chance to win real and long-lasting change through member bargaining
campaigns.
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Tackling the teacher shortage crisis in the Commonwealth By Oliver Mawhinney, International Policy Specialist at the National Education Union (UK) The world is amid a global teacher shortage. 44 million teachers are need globally by 2030 – a shortage that affects developing and developed countries alike, as demonstrated across the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is home to 2.7 billion people, with more than 60 per cent of the population aged 29 or under. 33 of 56 member states are small states, including many island nations, sitting alongside G20 countries including Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and the UK. Around the world, there are 250 million out-of-school children. More than 40 million of those children live in just two Commonwealth member states, Nigeria and Pakistan. Of the 763 million young people and adults who lack basic literacy skills, more than half live in the Commonwealth. Mirroring the rest of the world, teacher shortages in the Commonwealth are largest in the countries where needs are greatest, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where 1 in 3 of the additional teachers that must be recruited by 2030 are needed. The poaching of teachers: modern-day neocolonialism As the teacher recruitment and retention crisis has deepened in wealthy Commonwealth countries like the UK, so have efforts by these countries to recruit overseas trained teachers (OTTs). Alongside Canada, Germany and the U.S., the UK hosts the largest number of OTTs. In February 2023, the Department for Education widened a scheme which allows overseas teachers to gain qualified teacher status (QTS) in England without having to retrain to include a number of additional countries including Ghana, India, Jamaica, Nigeria and South Africa. Teachers who qualified in 48 countries are now eligible to apply for QTS, the legal requirement to teach in many English schools. Commonwealth countries make up just 10 of the eligible countries but accounted for over three-quarters of applications awarded between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024.*
Over 2,300 teachers from Ghana were granted QTS – the highest of any country. A further 655 teachers were recruited from Nigeria. Over 300 teachers from India were recruited and almost 200 from South Africa.
What’s more, this doesn’t show the full picture – there are several other routes for overseas trained teachers (OTTs) to work in England, such as completing their initial teacher training in the UK.
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Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG) First Edition, March 2025
The UK is not alone in its aggressive recruitment of OTTs Whereas in the UK teacher migration is typically from the Caribbean and Africa, Australia and New Zealand recruit heavily from Oceania, particularly small island states like Fiji and the Cook Islands.
New Zealand has relaxed its immigration rules for overseas secondary school teachers due to shortages, with overseas secondary teachers put on a fast track to residency.
The Fijian Teachers’ Association reported that last year, 100 qualified early childhood education teachers left the country, with a further fifty teachers migrating to Australia at the end of December. A significant loss from the workforce of a country with a population less than one million.
Countries are sounding the alarm about the loss of qualified teachers
In Ghana, teacher recruitment and retention has not kept pace with increases in enrolment, particularly following the extension of free education to secondary high school in 2017. In October 2023, the National Association of Graduate Teachers in Ghana (NAGRAT) reported that as many as 10,000 teachers in the country had left for developed countries. A survey by NAGRAT revealed that eight in ten trained teachers would migrate from Ghana given the opportunity. Nigeria’s deep-rooted education crisis is being exacerbated by teacher migration. Over 20 million children are out-of-school, yet classrooms lie empty. The Universal Basic Education Commission estimates a shortage of almost 200,000 teachers in public primary schools alone – dwarfing the numbers required in the UK. The loss of teachers and the wasted investment in their training and professional development is hugely detrimental to wider society. Teachers are skilled professionals, who contribute both economically and socially to a nation’s development. The investments that governments make in teacher education are also lost to the benefit of countries who played no part in their professional training. As the Global Report on Teachers identifies, comprehensive data on teacher migration is not available, and while teachers may migrate for a range of reasons, teacher labour migration tends to mirror general migration patterns driven by the pull of better wages in the destination country. This mirrors the finding of the recent Global Status of Teachers 2024 that globally low pay is the most common cause of teacher shortages. It also points to the need for all countries to tackle the root causes of teacher shortages. Transforming the status of teaching in all countries into a high-status, high-retention profession, where teachers are valued, empowered and paid competitively and attractively must be the priority.
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Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG) First Edition, March 2025
Exploitation of OTTS is rife Teachers, like any worker, should have the mobility to pursue the opportunities that are best for themselves and their families. Therefore, while it is important that efforts to develop more sustainable solutions to address teacher shortages do not compromise the rights of teachers to move country for work, much more needs to be done to tackle employer and recruiter exploitation of OTTs. OTTs regularly experience second-rate rights and terms and conditions. For example, Caribbean teachers typically arrive in the UK with full training and years of experience. Despite this, they are often paid as unqualified teachers, leading to a salary gap of around £10,000 compared to their UK-trained counterparts. In the absence of relocation funding, teachers incur significant debt from the expenses involved in relocating. Certificates of sponsorship tied to work visas keep OTTs tied to bad employers since finding a new sponsor can be very difficult, with teachers reporting lengthy waits – sometimes years – to obtain sponsorship for their UK teaching qualification. One of the most prolific offenders is the Harris Federation, England’s second largest academy chain, with 54 state-funded schools. In recent years Harris has increasingly recruited teachers from the Caribbean, particularly Jamacia, flying out its own staff to do interviews. Such is the extent of the unfair treatment of Caribbean and other overseas trained teachers in Harris schools - alongside an excessive and unhealthy workload, and unfair and punitive pay progression system - that NEU members are currently balloting for strike action. Teacher migration is not new but, is on the rise As Leighton Johnson, president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, identifies the migration of teachers is “not a new phenomenon”, but there has been an “alarming increase” post-pandemic. He added that shortages in Jamaica mean there are now “subject disciplines that schools have had to stop teaching”. The Commonwealth has previously come together to identify sustainable solutions to this challenge. In 2004, Commonwealth Education Ministers adopted the Protocol for the Recruitment of Commonwealth Teachers, which aims to balance the rights of teachers to migrate internationally against the need to protect the integrity of national education systems and the human resource investments countries have made in teacher education 20 years later, with teacher migration on the rise again and shortages of qualified teachers at record levels, its vital that the Protocol now adapts and responds to prevent the exploitation of OTTS and protect the investments source countries have made in their education workforce.
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Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG) First Edition, March 2025
Renewed commitment and collaboration across the Commonwealth is required
That’s why the NEU and its counterparts in the Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG), which represents the Commonwealth teachers’ and education unions that are affiliated to Education International, are calling for Commonwealth member states to recommit to the Protocol with a focus on promoting equity and inclusion, supporting mutuality and reciprocity, and ensuring that teachers’ rights are defended and monitored. The aggressive recruitment of teachers from Commonwealth countries is having a devastating impact on their ability to deliver good quality education. This is a moral question that the Commonwealth can no longer ignore. A child in Lagos has the same right to access a qualified teacher as a child in Liverpool, and Commonwealth members states, like Australia and the UK, must accept their share of responsibility for the global teacher shortage. In addition to addressing the causes of the teachers recruitment and retention crisis, development cooperation has a key role to play. Building on the recommendations of the High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, the NEU’s report Prioritise Teachers to Transform Education sets out a roadmap for how donor governments can support the recruitment, retention and training of qualified teachers in the Global South. There is also an opportunity for Commonwealth countries to learn from successful strategies for addressing teacher shortages – for example, from Singapore where primary teachers earn at least 50 per cent more than similarly qualified professionals, and teachers are provided with a wide range of opportunity to earn seniority and higher pay, including promotion along teaching, leadership and senior specialist paths. With just five years to until the SDG 4 deadline, the shortage of qualified teachers represents one of the greatest barriers to universal primary and secondary education. Education ministers in the Commonwealth must put the teacher shortage crisis at the top of their agenda when they convene later this year – beginning by committing to the Protocol for the Recruitment of Commonwealth Teachers.
*Analysis by the NEU of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) awards made to teachers who applied for QTS between 1 February 2023 and 31 March 2024. Source: Teaching Regulation Agency: Annual Report and Accounts - For the year ended 31 March 2024
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First Edition, March 2025
Commonwealth Teachers Group (CTG)
KUPPET ’ S EXPERIENCES FROM THE 2024 TEACHERS ’ STRIKE By Hon. Omboko Milemba For five days in August/September 2024, Kenyan teachers shut down schools to protest deep cuts to the education
budget. Despite massive scare tactics which included contempt of court proceedings against union officials, the strike
forced the government to the negotiating table. And it was only called off after the government gave a written
commitment to immediately address five of the six demands underlying our industrial action.
A month earlier, during the Education International’s 10th World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I had briefed
the congress on our imminent strike to fight back the grotesque cuts inspired by the IMF and the World Bank. After an
interlude of nearly two decades when their policies were booted, the two Bretton Woods institutions are back with a
bang in Kenya. The country was once again adopting the tenets of corporate education reforms that wreaked
immense damage to Kenya in the 1990s.
Under the reforms styled as Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs), the government did away with free education,
introducing the so-called cost-sharing. The employment of teachers was frozen, and the development of new schools
all but halted. The government stopped providing learning resources including books, uniforms and meals. The
government even toyed with retrenching teachers, but met strong resistance.
A decade later, a new government overruled the SAPs and scaled up public financing for education. Kenya
implemented free primary education and rolled out special funds to support secondary schools, vocational
institutions and universities. More teachers were employed, although shortages continue to fester.
Concrete efforts were made to improve working conditions through collective bargaining, salary reviews,
health insurance and professional development, among others.
A month earlier, during the Education International’s 10th World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I had
briefed the congress on our imminent strike to fight back the grotesque cuts inspired by the IMF and the
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