Start date: 03/12/2018
End date: 30/12/2020
Project Categories:
Organizing and recruiting
Professional Ethics
Quality Teaching
School Leadership
Description:
There are 24 islands in Kiribati scattered over a vast ocean and this has caused all teachers scattered throughout Kiribati and this is a challenge to KUT. There are teachers who have not heard about KUT and do not want to be members. The outreach program will involve other activities such as capacity building for teachers on Sustainable Development Goals, goal 4, 5 and 8. It will also involve Professional Ethics.
Teachers posted out on the outer islands have not been informed on their right to become active members of the Kiribati Union of Teachers. It is vital for all teachers to become members of their Union that can be given the opportunity to participate in any events organized by the Educational International (EI) and the Council of Pacific Education (COPE) where the affairs and interest of teachers are being addressed and promoted. KUT was first established in 1980s to promote active participation in addressing the poor quality of education and in getting them involved in the decision making under the Kiribati Union of Teachers.
Most teachers do not see the importance of joining the Kiribati Union of Teachers as they do not want to be seen as opposition to the Ministry of Education therefore they rather stay on their own and loyal to their employer. This is the common mentality of Teachers as they fear demanding too much from the employer will result negatively on their personal promotion. The outreach program will motivate teachers to become active members of the KUT.
The purpose of this outreach programme is to promote and motivate teachers to join the Kiribati Union of Teachers so that there is a growing and strong membership of the KUT. Teachers will have a right to share their issues and concerns and to discuss their views openly.
There are two outreach programs to be carried out. The first outreach program will be conducted in the Line and Phoenix Island, the most remote islands and very far from Tarawa. The outreach program in Line and Phoenix islands will be conducted during the Christmas Holiday, 2018, which is the best time for Executive Members to be back before the school starts in 2019.
Visiting the Line Group is crucial as most teachers have not been made aware of what the Teachers Union had been done so far in the past years.This has weakened their active involvement in the Union and most of them do not see the important role of the Union in supporting their affairs and grievances. Hence, visiting these islands will provide an opportunity to promote, interact and to strengthen teachers’ interest to become members of Kiribati Union of Teachers, even though they are working at remote islands.
The second visit will be carried out in the term breaks, 2019, to cover the 21 islands which are located in the Gilbert group and closer to South Tarawa, the capital of Kiribati. These islands require two executive members to carry out this activity due to the distant locations of schools on the islands. Having two executive members to visit the islands will help executive members to be strong and confident to face the challenges that may arise from teachers.
Goals:
In 2020, there will be an increase in the total number of active members of KUT from 50% to 80%.
Objectives:
• To recruit all teachers, the hard to reach ones in order to have a strong, active and independent organization.
• Promoting and strengthening members’ rights as unionists to support their own grievances.
• To foster network of teachers to be able to share and exchange their issues of concern with a view to provide appropriate remedies to enhance their teaching career.
Activities:
Outreach program.
Results:
Contact:
Teorabwati Tinga
Funding:
Education International and Council of Pacific Education
