Dear colleagues,

 The Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) is one of the main activities organised by the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), a broad-based coalition uniting trade unions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), institutions and community based organisations engaged in education. EI is a founding member of GCE. 

 “Accountability for SDG4 and citizen participation” is the theme of this year’s Global Action Week for Education (GAWE). GAWE 2017 will take place from 23 to 29 April 2017.   

 GAWE has been organised annually since 2001 and its main aim is to put pressure on public authorities, policy makers, donors, and other stakeholders to ensure that the right of all children and young people to universal, free quality public education is fulfilled. 

 2017 will be the first full year that governments will be reporting back on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption in 2015 and it is therefore a crucial point for ensuring the full implementation of the SDGs, in particular, SDG 4 on quality Education and the Education 2030 Framework for Action (FFA) by holding governments and the international community accountable. UN and UNESCO member states committed to provide free and equitable primary and secondary education and ensure that all children have access to quality early childhood education and affordable quality technical, vocational and higher education. The governments also committed to increase the supply of qualified teachers. 

 Therefore, the key aims of GAWE 2017 are to demand that governments: 

•       Develop, fund and implement credible plans for the implementation of the full SDG 4 agenda; 

•       Recognise the critical importance of strengthening public systems and state capacities to ensure that education is free, of good quality, and equitable. 

•       Ensure that there are credible, transparent mechanisms for participation of civil society in the monitoring and accountability processes for the agenda. 

 In line with EI’s Unite for Quality Education campaign and its Global Response to privatisation and commercialisation of education, the GAWE offers a timely opportunity to join forces with other education stakeholders to hold governments accountable for their commitments and support full implementation of the right to universal, free quality public education for all.   

 Through various activities, ranging from social media-led mobilisation, targeted advocacy, mass public rallies and high-level discussions with public authorities and policy makers, during this year’s GAWE, you are encouraged to put pressure on your government to fulfil their promise with credible and clear roadmaps for the implementation of the full SDG4 agenda. 

 Attached please find the GAWE 2017 campaign background documents in order to plan this year’s activities. GCE will publish further campaign materials at www.actionweek.campaignforeducation.org in due time prior to the 2017 Global Action Week for Education. 

For further details or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact EI at globalactionweek@ei-ie.org. I kindly request you to share your activities and photos by writing to the email above. 

Join us, during and beyond Global Action Week for Education 2017, in putting pressure on governments to implement the full SDG agenda by investing in education, teachers and educators. 

Yours sincerely, 

Fred Van Leeuwen 

General Secretary

Education International