The role of social dialogue for impacting policy responses to teacher challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic

• In Event: Teachers' voices in the educational policy conversation

Proposal

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a crisis in education in nearly every corner of the world as schools closed impacting more than 90 per cent of the global school age population (UNESCO, 2020a) including 63 million primary and secondary teachers (Teacher Task Force/ UNESCO-UIS, 2020) Teachers faced significant challenges teaching remotely using various technology and again during school reopening with a second set of complex and changing expectations to support learning, implement health and safety protocols, provide psychosocial support, engage in CPD, while also managing their own personal situations (Teacher Task Force/ UNESCO/ ILO, 2020).

Enhancing the ability of teachers and representative organizations to participate in social dialogue (ILO, 2021a; Teacher Task Force, 2020) with national governments improves teaching effectiveness and educational quality (UNESCO, 2018). This presentation focuses on a study conducted by the Teacher Task Force and UNESCO in 2021 on the role of social dialogue during the COVID-19 pandemic, by unpacking both successful and unsuccessful teacher responses in the face of the COVID-19. Acknowledging the increasing role of civil society, business and other partners in the education sector, this study also examines their role to support social dialogue and to influence teacher responses, improve working conditions and ensure the continuation of teaching and learning.

The study used a mixed-methods approach, combining document review with a survey data from 2,000 teachers in six countries, with varied levels of economic development: Afghanistan, Algeria, Brazil, France, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The study also interviewed teachers, union representatives, teacher associations, state and national education officials, NGOs and civil society organizations, businesses, foundations, parent associations and religious organizations.

The study found unions were mostly not consulted about the move to online learning and in several countries, governments did not provide clear guidelines nor digital tools, and teachers and unions learned of new protocols and school reopening only through media. Rather teachers relied on each other to adapt and find solutions. Fewer teachers took actions such as talking with union representatives, participating in union meetings, and expressing concerns to the community in other ways.

The biggest challenge to effective teacher social dialogue was an increasing lack of political will; even in countries where union rights are highly institutionalized, a lack of consultation by governments and at times by unions, as well as their politicization remain a problem. Within the specific context of the COVID-19 pandemic, several teachers and unions noted that quarantine and the prohibition of protests related to sanitary protocols made it difficult to mobilize, and yet while social media provided new opportunities and partnership, internet access was a barrier in under-resourced countries. Finally, rivalries between unions, also serve as barriers to effective social dialogue.

An emergent disconnect between teacher perceptions of the results of social dialogue, and union perceptions is likely due to the lack of political will by governments to engage in broader social dialogue. Strong, democratic institutions with multiple levels of governance promote synergies across levels and unions however help create an environment for teachers and unions to be heard by policy-makers. Other partnership, such as NGOs, CSOs, parents’ associations, religious organizations, foundations, and businesses, can further support social dialogue leading to teacher responses when domestic challenges undermine union cohesion. Creating and joining wider social movements with strengthened capacities can also help teachers achieve results, while ensuring greater female representation and in positions of leadership help ensure all teachers and women’s concerns are heard.

References
ILO. 2021a. Social Dialogue. Geneva: ILO. https://www.ilo.org/ifpdial/areas-of-work/social-dialogue/lang--en/index.htm.
Teacher Task Force. 2020a. Response to the COVID-19 outbreak: Call for action. Paris : UNESCO. https://teachertaskforce.org/knowledge-hub/response-covid-19-outbreak-call-action-teachers-0.
Teacher Task Force/ UNESCO-UIS. 2020. COVID-19; A global crisis for teaching and learning. Paris: UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000373233
Teacher Task Force/ UNESCO/ International Labour Organization. 2020. Supporting teachers in back-to-school efforts. Paris: UNESCO. https://teachertaskforce.org/knowledge-hub/supporting-teachers-back-school-efforts-guidance-policy-makers.
UNESCO. 2020a. Global Education Monitoring Report 2020: Inclusion and Education. Paris: UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000373718.

Authors

• NIANG FATOU, UNESCO Teacher Task Force

• Carlos Vargas, UNESCO