ETUCE Public hearing: Shape the future of Europe with teachers

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ETUCE initiates a public hearing entitled: “Shape the future of Europe with Teachers”, to be held in Brussels on 12 March 2019 from 14:00 to 16:00.

The public hearing takes place in the premises of Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre (Meeting room Oslo), Avenue du Boulevard 17, 1210 Brussels.

With growing nationalist and populist movements, and the tilt of politics in Europe to the far right, separatism and extremism are increasing in our society. More than ever, especially in these circumstances quality education and teachers have a crucial role to counteract this trend and are needed to help young people become creative, critically thinking democratic citizens who are conscious of their rights and obligations and the value of universal rights and democracy.

Privatisation and commercialisation trends, austerity measures, budget cuts and salary/pension/recruitment freezes in education, continue putting pressure on teachers, academics and their unions. At the same time, demands on education are rising to respond to the developments of modern society, such as digitalisation, inclusion and migration.

In the lead-up to the upcoming elections in the European Parliament in May 2019, ETUCE featured the end of November 2018 by launching the Europe-wide campaign “Shape the future of Europe with teachers” which is also to contribute to the EI Global Response.

In the framework of its campaign, ETUCE uses this momentum to bring the value and status of the teaching profession to the attention of governments and education authorities at European and national level and demands:

  1. Quality education for all
  2. Increased Public investment and attractiveness of the profession
  3. Strengthen social dialogue and involvement of education trade unions in decision-making
  4. Promoting democratic citizenship and inclusion.

As a part of the campaign, the upcoming public hearing will open doors to teachers, and society at large, including parents and students to raise their questions and share their views and reflections on, among other things, challenges they face from day to day.

Spitzenkandidats from the Party of the European Left (PEL), the Party of European Socialists (PES), the European Green Party (EGP) and the European People's Party (EPP) as well as representatives from the Council of Europe along with the Romanian presidency and the European Students Union are invited to contribute to a Panel discussion, which will be followed by a questions and answers session with the audience.