Education, standards and rights at work

Education provides basic literacy, numeracy and initial learning skills to most or all of a country’s population, imparts higher levels of knowledge, learning abilities and life skills to a relatively large part of the population in most countries, serves as a socializing institution, and passes along cultural, political and moral values essential for democratic and socially cohesive societies.

The main providers of education are public and private sector teachers, supported by administrative and support personnel in national education systems. A sufficient quantity of highly-trained, qualified teachers, well paid and working in effective teaching and learning conditions and professionally supported to carry out their tasks constitutes the single most important factor in educational success.

International Standards on Teachers: ILO and UNESCO

The two most important international standards establishing comprehensive guidelines for teacher policies are:

• ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, 1966 (also in pdf format, 116k)
• UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel, 1997

Useful links/resources

The Joint ILO/UNESCO Committee of Experts (CEART)

Unique in the international system, the Joint ILO/UNESCO Committee of Experts on the Application of the Recommendations concerning Teaching Personnel (CEART), meets every three years to monitor and promote the use of the 1966 and 1997 Recommendations in member States of the ILO and UNESCO. More information on its purpose, work, Reports and copies of the Recommendations can be found on its Homepage.

International labour standards

Core international labour standards central to fundamental principles and rights of all education sector workers are:

• Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948
• Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949
• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951
• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958

Core principles and rights relating to child labour and education, a major professional concern of teachers and school directors are:

• Minimum Age Convention, 1973
• Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999

National labour legislation (NATLEX database)

• National legislation dealing with teachers

Committee on Freedom of Association

• Cases related to the education sector