FISE Seminar (Online)
“The Current Reality of Education and the Struggles of Teachers”
0n 2nd October 2022
Intervention by Swadesh Dev Roye, Dy Gen Secy, WFTU
The World of Education is globally under unprecedented onslaught of Right Reactionary Regimes and Fascistic Forces. The Teachers, the Students and the Parents are all victims of the Onslaught
As a class oriented movement, we must objectively analysis the challenges before us on the basis of the Declaration of the just concluded 18th Congress of WFTU at Rome. FISE participated with a high level delegation.
Allow me to recall the WFTU long standing, time tested understanding that TUIs are major bodies of class oriented Trade Union movement. They have the fundamental responsibility of defending the rights of the workers in their respective sectors.
The TUIs have their own Constitution based existence. However, they are integral part of the international working class family of WFTU and are responsible to push and promote the class oriented campaign, propaganda and action in their respective sectors.
Before I proceed further, with my brief intervention, please allow me to say that I have access to the course of journey of FISE for last about two decades. I am very happy to say that since the last congress of FISE, the participation and progress of Teachers movement throughout the entire jurisdiction of FISE is highly encouraging. On behalf of WFTU Secretariat I convey our greetings to the entire leadership of FISE.
“Current Reality of Education and the Struggles of Teachers” obviously shall have to be comprehended considering the objective reality that the burden of continuously deepening systemic crisis of Capitalism is passed on to the shoulders of the toiling people by the capitalist class. The result is people are victims of attack on their economic and socio-political rights by the Right Wing ruling regimes globally. Bourgeois democracy is under peril.
Along with their attack on bourgeois parliamentary institutions in their respective nations, the Right Wing regimes have unleashed fascistic attack on Education too. Comrades from the world of education present in today’s programme are engaged in the battle to rebuff the attack. Our struggle has to be in the perspective of the above understanding.
Under the principle of Historical Materialism, the struggles cantering the Social Structure and Superstructure must be concurrent and comprehensive. In the today’s Socio-economic situation obtainable in the world, international unity, both sectorally and in the entirety of working class is imperative necessity. This is a message of the Rome Congress of WFTU.
Today Education system is facing regressive reactionary onslaught under fascistic regimes. Teachers are treated like extremely exploited casual workers. No security of job, denied dignity, deprived of fair compensation. Students are victims of barbaric commercial criminality. Obviously parents are bearing the brunt. Human society at large is pushed back to un-civilised era.
True education in capitalist system is class biased, discriminatory against mass of the people. It is criminally commercialised. Permanent solution can be realised only by overthrowing capitalism. But the day to day struggle must continue for best possible relief to education system, students, teachers and parents.
The people and the class oriented forces are increasingly fighting world-wide across sectors and professions. Progress cannot be permanently prevailed by regress. Capitalism today is in the phase of Systemic crisis leaving behind the stage of cyclical crisis. World-wide success stories of struggles of toiling people are on the increase. The initiative of FISE is need of the hour. WFTU looks forward many such actions by Teachers’ movement under the class oriented leadership of FISE.