Education International Africa

An online union academy made in the Democratic Republic of Congo

By Jacques Taty Mwakupemba and Augustin Tumba Nzuji.

Jacques Taty Mwakupemba Augustin Tumba Nzuji

The Online Union Academy [Académie Syndicale en Ligne, ASL] project set up by the Congo National Federation of Teachers and Social Educators (FENECO/UNTC) is part of the capacity-building activities of unions working in the education sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Primary, Secondary and Technical Education; Higher and University...

#16dayscampaign | “When teachers’ unions take action, schools become safer for everyone”, by madeleine kennedy-macfoy (EI) and Rex Fyles (Gender at Work).

Rex Fyles madeleine kennedy macfoy

Gender-based violence in and around schools poses big challenges to education unions and their members. Because everyone in and around schools – teachers, students, education support personnel - can be both perpetrator and victim of such violence, school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) is a violation of both the right to quality...

#16dayscampaign | “Mobilising the community to prevent school dropout among girls following COVID-19 school closures”, by Joan Aja (UNATU, Uganda).

Joan Aja

Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) is implementing a girl child education project called Simameni Project supported by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation and funded by Global Affairs Canada. The five-year project is intended to increase girls’ access to secondary school education, and to ensure retention and completion. The project has a...

#16dayscampaign | “Union Responses to Increased Gender-based Violence during Covid-related Lockdowns in Kenya”, by Alice Tuei (KNUT).

Alice Tuei

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the closure of learning institutions and other measures undertaken by the Kenyan Government to prevent transmission within communities and families, cases of gender-based violence (GBV) increased drastically within the communities.

“Africa: Collaboration between Unions and Governments for a Better Future in Education”, by Cherine Sabry.

Cherine Sabry

Unions and governments have been in conflict since the dawn of time. The mere existence of unions as a force to defend workers’ rights where governments fail to do so in and of itself leads to this conflictual relationship. In Africa, unions have rarely been consulted during the COVID-19 crisis...

What value should we place on qualifications in the COVID-19 era? by Jacques Taty.

Jacques Taty Mwakupemba

What value will the certificates and qualifications awarded to graduating students and pupils by the Congolese state at the end of this year ultimately have? On 10 August, the Congolese ministry for primary, secondary and technical education opened schools, but only for pupils and students in graduating years, to prepare...

‘You can work from home if the situation at home allows’: Teaching in times of the pandemic, by Josiah Taru.

Josiah Taru

The closure of schools has been commended as one of the most effective mitigatory measures to arrest the rapid spread of Covid-19 so far. Millions of learners and educators have been forced to continue learning through emergency remote instruction that involves online teaching. This presents novel challenges for educators in...

“In Africa, making use of the Ebola epidemic experience to combat coronavirus”, by Kadiatou Bah and Salifou Camara.

Salifou Camara Kadiatou Bah

Guineans have drawn lessons from Ebola, which has killed more than 2,500 people in our country. The country had neglected the disease when the first cases began in 2013 in a forest region around 900 kilometers from the capital. The first victims were not isolated, which encouraged contamination until an...

#RatifyC190 “Strong will”, by Destaye Tadesse.

Destaye Tadesse

On 25 November – the International Day for the Elimination of Gender-based Violence - we called on governments to immediately ratify ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work. The Convention is the result of 10 years of mobilisation and activism by the global trade union...

#RatifyC190 “Quashed dreams”, by Eringu Etonu.

Eringu Etonu

On 25 November – the International Day for the Elimination of Gender-based Violence - we called on governments to immediately ratify ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work. The Convention is the result of 10 years of mobilisation and activism by the global trade union...

#CRC30 “Ending corporal punishment in schools – a pathway to protecting the right to education”, by Baguma Filbert Bates.

Baguma Filbert Bates

In Uganda, corporal punishment was declared unlawful in schools in March 2016 when the Children’s Act was amended and indeed since 2006, corporal punishment had been discouraged by Ministerial Guidelines. However, it remains a big challenge because in many schools, particularly in the remoter rural areas, it is a deeply...