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Ethiopia an urgent appeal Left to right: Anteneh Getnet, Meqeha Mengistu, Tilahun Ayalew and Woldie Dana Education International (EI) is urging trade union associations to call for the release of three members of the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association (ETA), detained in the context of their legal trade union activities. Currently two ETA officers, Anteneh Getnet and Meqeha Mengistu, and a member of ETA, Woldie Dana, are in detention in the Addis Ababa Kality central prison. There are also concerns about a fourth teacher, Tilahun Ayalew, who is chair of ETA in the Awi zone. Tilahun disappeared on 28 May this year. He, Anteneh and Meqeha were previously arrested, detained and tortured in December 2006, but released suddenly in March this year. The four teachers have again been incorrectly accused of being members of an illegal organisation called ‘Ethiopian Patriotic Front’. EI fears they may again be subjected to ill treatment to make them confess membership of an illegal organisation. During his previous detention Anteneh was inhumanely suspended with his limbs tied. As a result of his treatment he now has an arm deformity, lung deficiencies and other health problems that will prevent him ever teaching again. Both Meqeha and Tilahun have previously been beaten and their families harassed. General secretary Steve Sinnott is appealing to NUT members to speak out to protect their Ethiopian counterparts’ human rights. “I urge you to speak loudly in support of our Ethiopian colleagues – please write to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, as EI is requesting.” EI is asking trade union divisions and associations to write to Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and Fisseha Yimer, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations, and to contact ETA to express solidarity. For details visit www.ei-ie.org/en/urgentactionappeal. Teaching anti-semitism – getting involved The NUT has a long-standing excellent working relationship with teachers’ unions in the Middle East, including the General Union of Palestinian Teachers and the Israeli Teachers Union. The NUT’s current work includes a programme with the Israeli Teachers’ Union, addressing issues of anti- Semitism and Islamophobia in relation to teachers and pupils in the UK and Israel. The aim of the programme is to focus on aspects of living in a multicultural society which affect members of both unions, and as a result to develop teaching materials on tackling anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The programme will include workshops on the key issues, as well as school visits in Grantham and London. The initial event will take place between 18 and 24 November 2007 at the union’s training centre in Grantham and in London. Participants will represent all key stages and a range of religious backgrounds, including Jewish, Muslim and Christian. Ten teachers from each union will attend the programme. The intention is to run the programme regularly once it has been established. If you would like to be considered as a participant please send a 200-word statement to the NUT’s International Relations Office at international@nut.org.uk. UPFRONT INTERNATIONAL FOLIO Friends of Palestine This Easter a group of UK teachers visited the West Bank in a gesture of solidarity with education colleagues and other professionals surviving the occupation and working for peace. The visit was led by two London NUT members instrumental in creating Teacher Friends of Palestine (see right). Every person we encountered spoke with anger, passion, hope and determination. There is universal desperate longing for peace and normality and for children to be able to play and learn in an atmosphere free from fear of military raids. Claire Wintram Pupils at the boys’ school in Palestine’s D’heisha refugee camp Teacher Friends of Palestine is a new independent group aiming to raise awareness of the situation in Palestine among staff and students in England and Wales, as well as supporting teachers in Palestine. It organised a teacher tour of Palestine over Easter 2007. For more information contact Teacher Friends of Palestine on their website: www. teacherfriendsofpalestine.org or follow the link on the Palestine Solidarity Campaign site: www.palestinecampaign.org. Anyone contemplating a visit to an area of conflict needs to heed the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk. September-October 07 / The Teacher 11
Good health * Carlos Guarita National Healthy Schools Programme Lancashire met the government’s healthy schools targets two years ahead of schedule and has been awarded Beacon status for its work in this field. Elyssa Campbell-Barr travelled north to find out about the Lancashire Healthy Schools Programme and the crucial role that teacher consultants are playing in its success. 12 In February, a United Nations report put Britain at the bottom of a list of 21 advanced nations for children’s overall wellbeing. It said our young people are more likely to smoke, abuse drink and drugs, engage in unsafe sex and have poor relationships with their parents and peers than those in other developed countries. Other reports this year have warned about British youngsters’ high rates of obesity, teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and mental health problems. The government has placed schools at the forefront of tackling these issues. Its National Healthy Schools Programme advocates a ‘whole-school’ approach to physical and emotional wellbeing, involving teachers, pupils, parents, governors, support staff and outside partners. It aims to raise pupils’ achievement, reduce health inequalities and promote social inclusion by improving the health of all children and young people. The Teacher / September-October 07 The National Healthy Schools Programme has four core themes: healthy eating; physical activity; emotional health and wellbeing; and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Within these themes are 41 criteria which schools must aim to meet. The programme was originally launched by the Department of Health and the old Department for Education and Skills in 1999. In 2004 the white paper Choosing Health set a challenging target for 75 per cent of schools to have achieved Healthy Schools Status, and for all schools to be working toward this goal, by 2009. Lancashire has already met the government’s targets. Seventy-seven per cent of the county’s 602 schools now have National Healthy Schools Status, and all are working towards it. Earlier this year the local authority was awarded Beacon status for its work on healthy schools. Sixtynine schools have also gained Lancashire Healthy School status by meeting at least five of the 13 Lancashire Healthy Schools Programme standards: 01 healthy eating 02 physical activity 03 drug education (including alcohol and tobacco) 04 sex and relationships education 05 emotional health and wellbeing 06 safety 07 PSHE and citizenship 08 ethos 09 community and partners 10 leadership and management 11 curriculum planning and implementation 12 teaching and learning 13 school nursing. (Please note that these are Lancashire’s own standards. The National Healthy Schools Programme still has 41 criteria within the four core themes mentioned earlier.)
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