ETFO contributions to CTF recognized (CTF Report)

As I look back over the past year, what becomes apparent is ETFO’s vital role at the heart of so many of activities here at CTF. I want to express our heartfelt thanks for your contributions throughout the past school year.

The insight and vision of your President Emily Noble – a member of our executive committee – has contributed greatly to the depth and scope of our discussions.

Last October when the British Columbia government took draconian measures to try and break the BC Teachers’ Federation, CTF established the BC Teachers Hardship Fund. ETFO made  a  generous contribution.  CTF member organizations  and  affiliates  donated  over  $1 million  that  helped  nearly  2,000  BC  teach- ers make ends meet. (See  ctf-fce.ca for the full report on the fund.)

ETFO has helped us move forward on various fronts during the year: compiling data for our national  survey  on  commercialism  in  Canadian schools (jointly organized by CTF with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Quebec-based CSQ-FSE); mobilizing members for a lobby of MPs on copyright issues; contributing to our national  conference on inclusive schools; and overseeing the design of this year’s World Teachers’ Day poster.

CTF, with the exceptional support of ETFO and  other  member  organizations,  continues to be a leader within the  international educa- tion community. One of these activities, Global Action Week, is an annual world event to raise awareness  about the fact that over 100 million children  around  the  world  are  without  any schooling. ETFO played a key  role in remind- ing the newly elected federal government of its commitment to meet the United Nations’ millennium developmental goals.

On  April  25,  members  of  the  CTF  board of  directors discussed these  issues with  their respective  federal  MPs  and  senators.  Colin Greene, a  member  of  the  executive board  of Education International and former president of  the Caribbean Union of  Teachers, was the guest speaker at the event CTF organized.

Through  its  Project Overseas program  CTF provides practical assistance to countries around the world. Since 1999, 42 ETFO members have volunteered  their  time  and  skills  to  improve teacher performance and school management in   developing  countries.  Canadian  advisors work  with  partners  to  enhance  professional capacity and organizational skills.

Next  month,  the  federation  is  sponsoring these ETFO participants in Project Overseas:

Carol Peterson        – Ghana

Allyson Taché          – Team Leader to Guinée

Leyla Kfoury           – Nigeria

Barbara Moran       – Nigeria

Anita Dhawan         – Sierra Leone

Adrianna Knight    – Uganda

Yasmin Khan           – Mongolia

Michael Gill             – Dominica

Donna Howey         – Guyana

Owen Smith            – St. Vincent

Allison Stroffman   – St. Vincent

Dolores Sullivan     – St. Vincent

We  wish  you  good  luck  and  thank  you. Through your efforts, you have helped improve the  working  conditions  for  teachers  and  the learning  conditions  for  all  students  in  the future.

On behalf of your colleagues across the country, we thank ETFO and its members for your support and involvement in our common journey forward to ensure that quality public education becomes a reality for all.

Enjoy your summer.