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INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION |
Sectoral Activities Programme |
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INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION |
Sectoral Activities Programme |
Background
1. The Joint Committee initially examined the allegation, submitted by the World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession (WCOTP) and the Ethiopian Teachers' Association (ETA) in 1993, at its Sixth Ordinary Scssion in 1994 (CEART/VU1994/12, Annex 1). The communication alleged non-observance by the Government of Ethiopia of the Recommendation with respect to its guiding principles, educational objectives and policies, preparation for the profession, further education for teachers, employment and career (entry into the teaching profession, security of tenure) the rights and responsibilities of teachers (professional freedom, relations between teachers and the education service as a whole), conditions for effective teaching and learning (school buildings, special provisions for teachers in rural or remote areas), teachers' salaries and social security.
2. The Joint Committee's main findings and recommendations included the following points:
- reviewed against the background of Ethiopia's difficult economic situation, and keeping in mind that the Government had not responded to the initial allegation, the information provided nevertheless indicated that the health and efficacy of the educational system was at serious risk;
- the low relative salary level of teachers, to the point of rendering them indigent, would inevitably and adversely affect the quality of persons entering the profession and the educational process; the situation was exacerbated by the unequal treatment of teachers by comparison with other public service employees in areas such as vacation pay, allowances, medical expense subsidy and security of tenure;
- concern was expressed over the situation of teachers in remote areas who had to travel considerable distances at their own expense to collect salaries and/or did not receive their salaries in time, in that this was inimical to a sound employer/employee relationship;
- conditions in the nominal schools of resettlement centers fell far short of the basic principles of the Rccommendation, and it was difficult to perceive how any satisfactory educational process could take place if the fundamental physical requirements and reasonable conditions of service for teachers who staffed such schools were not met; - a serious concern over the allegation that the ETA had not been accorded any capacity for proper input into educational policy or decision-making;
- the findings should be communicated to the Government of Ethiopia, with a request that urgent steps be taken to redress the situation, drawing on international advice and assistance, where appropriate;
- the Government of Ethiopia and the relevant international and national organizations of teachers concerned were requested to inform the Joint Committee as to what steps had been taken to address problems identified, and these should be reviewed at the next Special Session.
3. Following its examination by the Governing Body of the ILO and the Executive Board of UNESCO, the Joint Committee's report, including the analysis of the allegation, was simultaneously sent in June 1995 to the Government of Ethiopia and to Education International, the successor organization to the WCOTP, acting on behalf of the ETA.(4) Matters relating to freedom of association were examined by the Freedom of Association Committee of the ILO Governing Body in case no. 1888. The Government and EI were invited to keep the Joint Committee informed of developments in the situation.
Further developments
4. By letter dated 22 July 1995, the Government of Ethiopia sent its observations on the situation to the ILO, indicating that previous requests for information had never been received. According to the Government, the war-economy policies pursued by previous regimes for more than a generation had impoverished the country, affecting teachers accordingly. During this period, the material and social status of teachers sank to such lows that Ethiopians had no interest in becoming teachers, gravely affecting the quality of education. Democratic rights and professional freedom were absent - teachers were unlawfully imprisoned and even disappeared, nor did they have an input in educational processes or policy, which did not exist.
5. The present Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TOE) was engaged in democratizing society, rehabilitating it socially and rebuilding infrastructure, including education as a basis for national development. Following a process of public consultation to identify problems and propose remedies, a Comprehensive Education and Training Policy was ratified in April 1994 which placed teacher training and professional development of teachers as one of the three priority areas. It was stressed that the deep-rooted problems faced by teachers could not be alleviated overnight. Significant progress had been made in the following areas:
- the Ministry of Education had established a network composed of a reasonable number of teachers to participate in the process of putting into operation the new educational policy, and other teachers had been informed of the country's new objectives and policies through their associations or directly at school. Teachers had participated in the production of new teaching materials, and in the evaluation of the new curriculum beginning in the 1994-95 academic year;
- the new policy on preparation for the profession stressed that teacher trainees demonstrate ability, diligence, professional interest, physical and mental fitness appropriate to the profession, that teacher education emphasize basic knowledge, methodology, practical training and a code of ethics, and that teachers were certified before being assigned to teach at any educational level;
- the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with regional education offices, had offered further education to as many teachers as possible in view of its economic capacity;
- though accountable to the Federal Ministry or regional education offices on the same basis as other educational institutions, teacher training institutions, including universities and colleges, functioned autonomously with respect to decisions of their administrative bodies in regard to hiring and firing of staff, had their own salary scale and enjoyed full academic freedom;
- teachers enjoyed democratic rights, including freedom of association and cxpression, like other citizens; teaching staff had full rights to be members and to participate in leadership bodies of the ETA, however, use of a professional association for sectarian political ends was subject to disciplinary action on presentation of concrete evidence, in order to avoid that universities and colleges should become breeding grounds for political instability which runs counter to the interests of the majority of the members of the educational community;
- job security has been maintained so long as teachers perform their duties and responsibilities;
- a six-step career structure has been implemented, ranging from beginner to lead teacher;
- a new salary scale was adopted in November 1994 and funded with a significant investment of government funds for 1994-95, placing every teacher irrespective of position one step higher than civil servants of similar qualifications and service, and increasing salaries at all levels;
- restructuring of the Ministry of Education along school and district ("wereda") lines has improved teachers' access to professional advice and their montllly salary from local authorities, while improvements in the national transport network had made it easier for teachers to collect their salaries;
- school buildings were being constructed or reconstructed, teachers were now offered priority in rented housing, they were entitled to a hardship allowance equivalent to 30-40% of salary when deployed to very hot areas, and retirement benefits were safeguarded.
6. The Government's observations were submitted to El and to ETA by separate letters dated 11 September 1995. Responses with further observations were received from each organization dated 20 November and 17 October 1995 respectively. In its communication, ETA contested the Government's observations, maintaining that all the problems raised in its previous reports remained unresolved. Among other points, it contended that:
- teachers and other citizens did not accept the new education policy because it encouraged privatization, considered harmful to Ethiopians' interests, and children were deprived of education in their mother tongue;
- teachers had been arbitrarily transferred or fired for political and ethnic reasons; for example, some 6,000 teachers in one region were reportedly ordered to accept transfers or be fired because they could no longer teach in the language of their home region, and they were replaced by unqualified individuals, some of whom had not completed sccondarv education.
- devaluation of the Ethiopian currency had meant that the new salary scale and its increases represented only a nominal improvement in the living standards of tcachers:
- the Minister of Education refused to meet with the President of ETA to examine the problems raised in the allegation.
In its communication, El supported the points raised bv ETA in rcspect of inter alia. refusal to negotiate over salaries and conditions with the duly elected leadership of ETA, disappearances and massive transfers of teachers, based on its observations in the course of two visits to Ethiopia in October and December 1994.
7. ETA provided further infommation in a facsimile sent to the ILO dated 21 and 24 February 1996, and EI sent additional infommation to the ILO in letters dated 9 May and 6 June 1996. The information from both organizations essentially concerned allegations of failure to respect freedom of association and collective bargaining rights as set out in relevant international conventions. Part of the communications from ETA dealt with alleged deaths, kidnappings, detentions or imprisonment without trial, largc-scale transfers and firings of teachers because of their political opposition to ethnic policies of the Government. With the exception of this latter part, most aspects of these communications were considered to come within the mandate of the Committee on Freedom of Association of the ILO, and therefore cxamined by that body.
8. The observations submitted by ETA and EI in 1995, and the aspect relating to ethnically- and politically-based actions taken against teachers alleged in ETA's communication of February 1996 were submitted to the Government for its observations by letter of 9 July 1996. A reminder was sent on 11 June 1997. As of the time of the meeting, no reply had been received to these requests.
Findings
9. In light of the information received from the Government of Ethiopia, ETA and EI, the Joint Committee considers that improvements have been made in the status of teachers in respect of the Recommendation's provisions regarding educational objectives and policy, preparation for entry into the profession and further education, career development, conditions for effective teaching and learning, and teachers' salaries. In the first place, the Joint Committee welcomes the adoption in 1994 of a global policy statement on education as the basis for improvements in the establishment of educational objectives, teacher training, career development and salaries to restore the status of teachers to a higher level. The adoption of a national policy on education with reportedly widespread participation of many citizens augurs well for acceptance and implementation of other concrete measures concerning education.
10. At the same time, the Joint Committee observes that certain aspects of the policy are reported to encourage greater privatization of education and to restrict access by virtue of limitations on indigenous languages. It should be recalled that the Recommendation expressly provides for the liberty of parents or guardians to establish alternative, essentially private schools. At the same time, it points to the primary responsibility of the State with regard to the provision of universal, free public education, available to all children without discrimination on the basis of political or religious opinion or ethnic origin. Beyond recalling these principles of the Recommendation and urging respect for them, the Joint Committee considers that the available information does not permit it to comment further on the extent to which the Government's present policy adheres to these provisions.
11. The Joint Committee is encouraged by the emphasis on standards and professional development of teachers identified as one of the priority areas for action within the 1994 policy. The autonomy and status accorded to teacher training institutions, inclusion of a code of ethics and the requirement of certification before employment were important elements in the creation of a sense of professionalism among prospective teachers.
12. It also notes the economic restraints cited by the Government which have inhibited further development opportunities for all serving teachers. It nevertheless considers that, particularly at a time of large-scale reconstruction of the education system and the teaching profession, all efforts must be made to offer every teacher the possibility for continual professional development, especially those working in rural, isolated, or disadvantaged areas.
13. Among the most promising developments are the new career and salary structures instituted in November 1994. A diversified career structure with opportunities for advancement which seeks to preserve qualified and competent teachers in the profession, has been combined with a salary structure based on transparent and objectively defined levels which respect teacher competency acquired through professional development. All teachers - serving and prospective - have seemingly been placed in a more advantageous position with regard to the old salary structure which was marked by anomalies in regard to the discretionary powers of authorities at certain levels to determine advancement. Unequal treatment in relation to other public employees has been eliminated, and the salary structure on the surface compares favorably with public servants with similar qualifications, providing renewed incentives for individuals to join the teaching profession. Improvements have been made in the administration of salary payments, accommodation, transportation, and hardship allowances.
14. Yet, the information provided by ETA, and not contested by the Government at the time of the Meeting, suggests that the salaries have hardly increased in real terms, if at all, because of currency devaluations and subsequent changes in living costs. If confirmed, such a situation would hardly represent a positive change and would have the potential for seriously undermining other reforms. The Joint Committee points out that the Recommendation calls for salaries to be set at levels which properly reflect the importance of the teaching function, do not discriminate among different categories of teachers, and are periodically adjusted taking account of such factors as rises in the cost of living, increased productivity leading to improved standards of living (where appropriate), or general upward movements in wage or salary levels. This last point requires more detailed information on real salary levels and adjustments over the last four years in order to come to meaningful conclusions.
15. Among the most serious problems which remain are those arising from allegations of politically and ethnically-based transfers or dismissals, imprisonment or detention, and even deaths and disappearances of teachers. The Government's report has remained silent on these aspects, other than to state that teachers enjoy job security provided that they perfomm their duties and responsibilities. The Joint Committee expresses its serious concern over such reports, which, if confirmed, are a direct negation of the Recommendation's guiding principles and its provisions with regard to security of tenure. Unless and until such practices are stopped, and transparent, equitable procedures affecting personnel decisions instituted, the education system in the affected regions cannot hope to achieve stability and quality, all the more so that allegations are raised of unqualified teachers replacing those who are the victims of these practices.
16. The Joint Committee welcomes the Government's statements that teachers enjoy rights to freedom of expression as do other citizens, including the right to join and participate in the ETA. It notes, however, that the exercise of these rights is subject to potential disciplinary actions with regard to vaguely defined "sectarian political activities" in order to avoid political instability. Such provisions lend themselves to abuse and may be at the root of the arbitrary disciplinary actions mentioned above. Moreover, the Government has qualified its positive reference to inclusion of teachers in a network to decide on educational policy by limiting the teachers to a vaguely defined suitable number. Nowhere has the Government explicitly referred to direct consultations or negotiations with the ETA over policy or its implementation.
17. The Joint Committee refers to Case No. 1888 of the Committee on Freedom of Association of the ILO Governing Body with regard to fundamental rights of freedom of association and the right to organize which are also mentioned in the Recommendation. These are the foundation for the extensive provisions in the Recommendation conceming the participation of teachers and their organizations in consultations and negotiations on a wide range of educational activities. The Joint Committee considers the current climate of non-cooperation in consultations over educational policy, to be fundamentally unsuitable for the development of partnerships necessary for the development of education in Ethiopia. It strongly urges the Government to take steps to restore a healthy partnership which recognizes the important role that teachers and their democratically-elected representatives can play in improving education through consultations and negotiation.
Recommendations
18. The Joint Committee recommends that the Governing Body of the ILO and the Executive Board of UNESCO:
- take note of the situation as described above;
- communicate the above findings to Education International, the Ethiopian Teachers' Association and the Government of Ethiopia, requesting it to take steps to address the remaining problems highlighted by the Joint Committee above, where appropriate drawing on the advice and assistance of the ILO and UNESCO;
- request the Government, EI and ETA to keep the Joint Committee informed of developments with regard to these remaining problems, and that such information be examined in accordance with approved procedures.
Notes
(4) The Report was also examined by the Committee on the Application of Standards of the International Labour Conference at its 82nd Session (June 1995) and by the 28th Session of the General Conference of UNESCO (November 1995).
1. Election of the Officers.
2. Review of reports and other sources of information in accordance with the mandate of the Joint Committee to report on the application of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation.
3. Review of the ILO and UNESCO joint or separate activities to promote the application of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation in view of the recommendations set out in the report of the Fourth Special Session of the CEART.
4. Review of progress made in relation to the initiatives regarding improved teacher indicators.
5. Consideration of allegations received from teachers' organizations since the Fourth Special Session.
6. Report of the outcomes of allegations considered at the Fourth Special Session.
7. Proposed recommendation on higher education teaching personnel - further developments and necessary follow-up action.
8. Agenda for the Fifth Special Session.
