NSTU pleased to see teacher recognition key outcome of International Teaching Summit

HALIFAX, April 8, 2015 /CNW/ - Focus on teacher leadership, teacher recognition, career enrichment and providing equitable access to fair and inclusive education environments were some of the key priorities coming out of the International Summit on the Teaching Profession, in which NSTU president Shelley Morse participated.

"It was exciting to be part of this Summit, and hear and see firsthand what works in education systems around the world," adds Morse. "This was an important forum to be a part of, and I was happy to include the voice of Nova Scotians in dialogue on education transformation."

The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), and The Learning Partnership hosted ISTP 2015, held in Banff on March 29 and 30; the first time it was held in Canada. Under the theme Implementing Highly Effective Teacher Policy and Practice, in partnership with OECD and Education International, education ministers and teachers' association leaders from countries and regions with high-performing and rapidly improving education systems came together to discuss education policy, practice and the teaching profession.

Morse, individual teachers and Canadian education leaders chose three top priorities for the coming year at the Summit. A key priority is teacher recognition. "Education International reported that fewer than one-third of the teachers in the world feel their profession is valued in society, which is appalling," continues Morse. "It's time to follow the lead of countries such as Finland and the province of Manitoba to change this belief. We need to ensure that teacher professionalism is not undermined by society. Positive employer promotion of the incredible work teachers do would be a step in the right direction."

Morse says that Nova Scotia teachers attending ISTP 2015 were able to lend their voice to the discussions. "Nova Scotia teachers and Canadian teachers believe that a strong publicly funded public education system is essential for democracy," says Morse. "Our education system must work for the good of all through universality, equity, responsiveness, shared responsibility and collective ownership. All of this came out through our dialogue."

Special guests at the Summit included: CTF president Dianne Woloschuk; Chair of CMEC and Alberta's Minister of Education Gordon Dirks; New Zealand's Minister of Education Hekia Parata; U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan; Finland's Minister of Education and Science Krista Kiuru; Vice Minister of Education, Peoples' Republic of China Hao Ping; and OECD Deputy Secretary-General Stefan Kapferer.

"Our education minister was not in attendance at this valuable event, as we worked towards a shared agenda for education reform," concludes Morse. "Public education in Nova Scotia is going through its own reform and it would have been important to see our elected education leader participate in this process."

For more information on ISTP visit: http://istp2015.org.

SOURCE Nova Scotia Teachers Union

Angela Murray, NSTU Public Relations Coordinator, Cell [phone], Direct [phone], twitter@NSTeachersUnion