[Campaignforrealdemocracy] Emancipatory Education for All Statement

Sat Sep 25 11:11:23 UTC 2010

This is the statement we're being asked by the International Student's
Movement (ISM) to consider endorsing at today's PA, and in the run up to the
rally which could be part of ISM's 'Global Wave'. Pls post any comments here
if you don't make the PA today:
*"Joint Statement"**
**for the "Global Wave of Action for Education" this fall*

Around the world students, pupils, teachers, parents and employees have been
protesting against the increasing commercialisation and privatisation of
public education, and fighting for free and emancipatory education in the
past decade.

This year will see people unify this struggle on the international and
global level for the "Global Wave of Action for
Education<http://emancipating-education-for-all.org/idea_global_wave_action>
".

Many of us use the "International Student
Movement<http://emancipating-education-for-all.org/ism_en>"
as a self-managed platform initiated to exchange information, to network and
to co-ordinate protests at both the international and the global levels. We
strive for structures based on direct participation and non-hierarchical
organisation through collective discussion and action. Anyone who identifies
with the struggle against the privatisation of public education, and for
free and emancipatory education can join and participate on as well as shape
the platform!
Some of us have already met and networked during the following occasions: 10
years of "Bologna-Process"<http://emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/actions-and-events-2904-wednesday-gwa#comment-284>in
Louvain la Neuve (Belgium) on April 25-29th 2009, G8
University Summit <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0kDQCJ1BI4> in Torino
(Italy) on May 17-19th 2009, Bologna Burns <http://bolognaburns.org/> in
Vienna (Austria) on March 11-14th 2010, Bologna keeps on
Burning<http://bolognaburnsmadridenglish.wordpress.com/>in Madrid
(Spain) on April 8-14th 2010 and the "European
Education Congress <http://educationcongress.eu/>" in Bochum (Germany) on
May 25-30th 2010.

The following aims unite us worldwide:

*What are we struggling against?*

·                             The effects of the current economic system on
people and education systems:
→ tuition fees or any form of fees which exclude people from accessing and
equally participating in education
→ student debt
→ public education aligned to serve the (labour) market;

► *The so called Bologna-Process (as with its counterparts around the world)
is aimed at **implementing education systems that primarily train people in
skills serving the labour market. It promotes the reduction of costs for
training a person, shortens the length of time spent studying, and produces
underqualified workforces.*

→ turning education into a commodity (like all other aspects of life)
→ (increasing) influence of business interests on basic budgets for public
education
→ (increasing) budget cuts on public education worldwide
→ the "privatisation" of public funds with the subsidisation of private
educational institutions
→ the commodification and exploitation of labor within educational
institutions

·                             We stand against the discrimination and
exclusion within any educational institution based on:
→ socio-economic background (*education systems are currently set up so that
people with less money can't participate equally*)
→ nationality
→ performance
→ political ideologies and activities
→ gender
→ sexual orientation
→ religion
→ ethnic background
→ skin colour

·                             We stand against the prioritisation of
research towards commercially valuable patents rather than open knowledge
freely available to all!
→ Public educational institutions are increasingly forced to compete for
private sponsorships to do (basic) research; at the same time private funds
have the tendency to be invested into research promising to be profitable (-
leading to a decline in funding for areas of research which may be important
but not deemed economically lucrative). On the basis of profitability,
educational institutions and participants are deemed 'excellent' and often
fulfill the criteria to receive additional public funding.

·                             We stand against the prioritisation of
income-generating research grants ahead of education and basic research

·                             Activities for the army within educational
institutions:
→ no research specifically for military purposes
→ no recruiting and advertising activities for the army

*What are we struggling for?*

·                             *CONTENT:*
→ free and emancipatory education as a human right: education should
primarily serve the individual's interest to be emancipated, that means: to
be enabled to critically reflect and understand the power structures and
environment surrounding him-/herself; education must not only enable the
emancipation of the individual but society as a whole
→ education as a public good serving public interests
→ academic freedom and choice: freedom to pursue any educational discipline

·                             *ACCESS:*
→ free from monetary mechanisms of payment by participants and any kind of
discrimination and exclusion and therefore freely accessible to all
individuals
→ sufficient funding of all public educational institutions, no matter if
deemed profitable or not

·                             *STRUCTURE:*
→ all educational entities/institutions should be democratically structured
(direct participation from below as a basis for decision making processes)

*Why on the local and global level?*

The impacts of the current global economic system create struggles
worldwide. While applying local pressure to influence our individual
local/regional politics and legislation, we must always be aware of the
global and structural nature of our problems and share our tactics,
experiences in organizations, and theoretical knowledge to learn from each
other. Short-term changes may be achieved on the local level, but great
change will only happen if we unite globally.

Education systems worldwide do what they are intended to do within the
economic and state system(s): select, train and create ignorance and
submission. We unite for a different education system and a different life.

We stand united against any sort of repression by governments worldwide
directed at people involved in the struggle for free and emancipatory
education.

The following groups and individuals support the statement above, pledge to
spread it, and to get actively involved in the "Global Wave of Action for
Education<http://emancipating-education-for-all.org/idea_global_wave_action>",
as well as focus to increase networking efforts of education activist groups
worldwide in the future.

*Wish to support this statement by having your (group) name listed below?
Just send an e-mail to: **united.for.education at gmail.com*

*~ one world - one struggle ~*
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