Coalition for Children�s Education opens the Campaign �Every Child Needs a Teacher�

CRCA

26 April 2006

The Albanian Coalition for Children's Education, which includes 10 major child-rights organisations in the country, opened officially in Tirana 25 April 2006 the Campaign "Every child needs a Teacher", which in Albania is organised under the motto "Every child needs a qualified teacher". The campaign in Albania is part of the Global Campaign for Education, which takes place all over the world between 24-30 April and this year it is dedicated to teachers.

This morning at Hotel Tirana International the representatives of the Coalition organised a press conference for the Albanian mass media and representatives of NGO's and organisations working on education issues.

"We are here today to open officially our Campaign 'Every child needs a qualified teacher' - said to the journalists and invitees Mr. Altin Hazizaj, Director of CRCA and coordinator of the campaign in Albania - We would like to ask the Albanian Government, Parliament, President, local government and society to do more for children's education in Albania. Education is the best effective tool against poverty and strengthen the society at large. For this we would like to say that every child needs a teacher."

This is the fourth year that civil society in Albania is part of the Global Campaign for Education. Taking into consideration the problems that countries face with lack of teachers and their qualification, this year the global campaign and the local one are focused to the issue of teachers, without excluding sensitive issues such as child labour, child dropouts and other negative phenomena that limit the access to education of children.

This is the first time ever in Albania that a campaign is organised in close cooperation between NGO's and Trade Unions. Part of the campaign this year are two largest Trade Unions of Teachers of Albania.

"Trade Unions have been part of the Global Campaign for Education since many years - said Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi - Chair of the Federation of Trade Unions of Teachers - because we belive that we can not have qualitative education without dealing with the problems that the education faces today in Albania. As a Federation we have been involved in initiatives that deal with issues such as child labour, child dropouts, qualification of teachers etc. For this in our collective contract that we will sign soon with the Ministry of Education, one of the points we have asked to include is the qualification of teachers."

The Campaign "Every child needs a qualified teacher" will take place throughout Albania and its main focus will be to organise sensitizing activities in schools and local communities with children teachers and local leaders.

Members of the Coalition and the Campaign include: Children's Human Rights Centre of Albania (CRCA), Information and Research Centre for Children's Rights in Albania (IRCCRA), World Vision Albania, Save the Children Albania, Albanian Children's Alliance (ACA), Centre for Protection of Children with Disabilities (MEDPAK) Christian Children Fund (CCF), SOS Children's Villages Albania, Plan Albania and Teachers Trade Unions of Albania (FSASH and SPASH).

IF YOU CAN READ THIS.... THANK A TEACHER!