8th World Congress of Education International (EI) was held in Bangkok on July 19-26.
The Congress is held every 4 years and 1300 delegates and observers gathered this time from 283 teacher unions of 151 countries. We discussed inclusive and quality education, teaching profession and trade union rights.
Okajima, President of Japan Teachers’ Union (JTU), was elected as Vice President of EI.

Activites of EI and JTU are interacted.
【Work Style Reform Campaign】
OECD’s TALIS2013 visualized long working hours of educators as a critical social issue in Japan. EI has inputted the survey in the view of teachers union. Also, EI and OECD co-host International Summit on Teaching Profession (ISTP) where representatives from Ministry of Education as well as teachers unions discuss teachers policies.
Those international evidences and discussion are very effective when JTU advocates, consults and negotiates with education authorities. JTU sends delegation to OECD TUAC and ISTP and makes suggestions on OECD’s policies including PISA, TALIS and other surveys.
As a result, Japan joined the 2nd TALIS and JTU succefully kicked off the Work Syle Reform Campaign with members, parents and citizens.
【Inclusive and Quality Public Education for All (SDG4)】
EI has monitored the progress of SDGs, advocates at United Nations so that governments ensure educators professionality and allocate sufficient budget to education. JTU domestically promotes it and pursues the achievement of SDG4 as international standard. It is necessary to take actions such as abolishing child poverty, reducing parents financial burdens for education and promoting reasonable accomodation.