The 5th World Congress of EI in Berlin stressed the necessity of better education for all human beings in the world and also the need to strengthen the profession of teaching. That is why the congress voted for more public responsibility for education. The trade unions worldwide will collaborate more close and confidentially. EI-memberorganizations will have to design their cooperation even more candid and intensely in order to strengthen the capacity to win at the global level. The common issues have build the centre of the activities. The German member organizations of EI, Bundesverband der Lehrerinnen und Lehrer an beruflichen Schulen (BLBS), Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW) and Verband Bildung und Erzie-hung (VBE) will cooperate much closer in the future, especially regarding the development of Europe. The inspirations of EI for more justice in education are of great importance for the collaboration of trade unions and teacherorganizations in Germany. This World Congress has strengthened German members of EI in their common effort for high quality in education and for better working conditions for the teachers and all the personnel in the education field of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The 5th World Congress was held from 22nd to 26th July 2007 in Estrel Convention Center in Berlin. 1,700 delegates from all continents worked together on topic “Educators – Joining to-gether for Quality Education and Social Justice”. The next World Congress will be held in Africa in four years.
It is with great pleasure that the president of BLBS Berthold Gehlert noted that his desire was accepted widely to create a wellfunctioning network on vocational education within EI. “This will be a motor for BLBS to share the experiences in vocational education with interested partners and to play an active role within that network.” Gehlert added: “This resolution, handed in by BLBS and SNETAA/France, also offered a chance to discuss intensely the special issues for vocational education as a whole. By accepting this resolution it is made clear that education cannot be classified for an elite part, not acknowledging vocational education as a value in itself.” There was also an unanimous conviction that vocational education has to be more than just “training-on-the-job”, as Gehlert had already pointed out at the beginning of the congress in his inaugural speech. “Vocational training is more than mere job-qualification. The development of the personality of the pupils has to be as important as their competences on a special field.” It was also made clear that vocational education has to be organized in public responsibility.
The president of GEW Ulrich Thöne announced a campaign of his organization against the increasing privatization. He made clear that “actions have to follow” the motions and discussion. “We have to make our homeworks. First of all we have to diminish the privatization of education. Otherwise we cannot guarantee fair chances for development for the human beings and the education systems – valid for Germany, Europe and worldwide”, Thöne said. “Education is public means for prevention. It has to be in public responsibility, financed by the States and the education system has to be improved in regard to quality and quantity.” Not only in states of the so-called Third World education is the key to a perspective of life that makes sense and is worthwhile. It opens chances for people to start with learning and to enter into jobs. “Education is the best instrument to avoid poverty, famine and diseases. It helps to denourish war and terrorism”, the GEW-president pointed out. “Privatization threatens the quality of education. It is an attack to the equality of chances. Deregulation and liberalization are of bad influence to the working conditions for teachers and the educational personnel. Schools, presented at the stocks and shares market, are the least our society needs.”
VBE-president Ludwig Eckinger stated that this World Congress has confirmed the great importance of the dignity of the teaching profession and has challenged the right for pedagogical freedom, both with no compromise at all. “The human dignity of teachers is violated in many countries of this world. Mobbing and violence threaten teachers; their lives are in danger while working on their job”, Eckinger said. He went on: “Without pedagogical freedom teachers cannot fulfil their tasks. In order to be able to raise our youth to self-responsible citizens teachers have to have the possibility to work in their job with great responsibility themselves.” VBE-president Eckinger acknowledged that this congress has set clear signs for a collaboration in great solidarity in the teaching profession. With regard to the German education policy Eckinger stressed clearly: “In Germany we will fulfil our pedagogical obligation to individually bring for-ward and also challenge our youth from kindergarten to the age of young adults. Politics will have to safeguard the working condition required, including a competence-oriented teachers’ training in the universities.” Eckinger underlined the wish of VBE: Germany shall be among the countries of the OECD-study TALIS, the so-called “teachers’ PISA”.
The 5th World Congress was held from 22nd to 26th July 2007 in Estrel Convention Center in Berlin. 1,700 delegates from all continents worked together on topic “Educators – Joining to-gether for Quality Education and Social Justice”. The next World Congress will be held in Africa in four years.
It is with great pleasure that the president of BLBS Berthold Gehlert noted that his desire was accepted widely to create a wellfunctioning network on vocational education within EI. “This will be a motor for BLBS to share the experiences in vocational education with interested partners and to play an active role within that network.” Gehlert added: “This resolution, handed in by BLBS and SNETAA/France, also offered a chance to discuss intensely the special issues for vocational education as a whole. By accepting this resolution it is made clear that education cannot be classified for an elite part, not acknowledging vocational education as a value in itself.” There was also an unanimous conviction that vocational education has to be more than just “training-on-the-job”, as Gehlert had already pointed out at the beginning of the congress in his inaugural speech. “Vocational training is more than mere job-qualification. The development of the personality of the pupils has to be as important as their competences on a special field.” It was also made clear that vocational education has to be organized in public responsibility.
The president of GEW Ulrich Thöne announced a campaign of his organization against the increasing privatization. He made clear that “actions have to follow” the motions and discussion. “We have to make our homeworks. First of all we have to diminish the privatization of education. Otherwise we cannot guarantee fair chances for development for the human beings and the education systems – valid for Germany, Europe and worldwide”, Thöne said. “Education is public means for prevention. It has to be in public responsibility, financed by the States and the education system has to be improved in regard to quality and quantity.” Not only in states of the so-called Third World education is the key to a perspective of life that makes sense and is worthwhile. It opens chances for people to start with learning and to enter into jobs. “Education is the best instrument to avoid poverty, famine and diseases. It helps to denourish war and terrorism”, the GEW-president pointed out. “Privatization threatens the quality of education. It is an attack to the equality of chances. Deregulation and liberalization are of bad influence to the working conditions for teachers and the educational personnel. Schools, presented at the stocks and shares market, are the least our society needs.”
VBE-president Ludwig Eckinger stated that this World Congress has confirmed the great importance of the dignity of the teaching profession and has challenged the right for pedagogical freedom, both with no compromise at all. “The human dignity of teachers is violated in many countries of this world. Mobbing and violence threaten teachers; their lives are in danger while working on their job”, Eckinger said. He went on: “Without pedagogical freedom teachers cannot fulfil their tasks. In order to be able to raise our youth to self-responsible citizens teachers have to have the possibility to work in their job with great responsibility themselves.” VBE-president Eckinger acknowledged that this congress has set clear signs for a collaboration in great solidarity in the teaching profession. With regard to the German education policy Eckinger stressed clearly: “In Germany we will fulfil our pedagogical obligation to individually bring for-ward and also challenge our youth from kindergarten to the age of young adults. Politics will have to safeguard the working condition required, including a competence-oriented teachers’ training in the universities.” Eckinger underlined the wish of VBE: Germany shall be among the countries of the OECD-study TALIS, the so-called “teachers’ PISA”.
