In her 2022 Report on the impact of the digitalisation of education on the right to education, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to education clarified that any introduction of digital technologies in education must be framed around the right of every person to public, free, quality education and the commitments of states in this regard both under international human rights law and Sustainable Development Goal 4.
The Abidjan Principles are now entering into their fourth year. In a relatively short period, they have achieved widespread recognition across multiple fields, with official recognitions now totalling ten.
Non-state actors’ role extends beyond provision of schooling to interventions at various education levels and influence spheres. Alongside its review of progress towards SDG 4, including emerging evidence on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact, the 2021/2 Global Education Monitoring Report urges governments to see all institutions, students and teachers as part of a single system. Standards, information, incentives and accountability should help governments protect, respect and fulfil the right to education of all, without turning their eyes away from privilege or exploitation.
L’affaire de la vente à des entrepreneurs privés d’écoles publiques en Mauritanie, et la privatisation de l’éducation associée, documentée et dénoncée par la société civile depuis 2018, a pris un nouveau tournant avec la publication le 27 juillet 2020 d’un rapport de la Commission d’enquête parlementaire sur la présidence de l’ancien Président, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, évincé du pouvoir en août 2019.
Dans ce rapport, le Rapporteur spécial note avec préoccupation la multiplication rapide du nombre d’établissements d’enseignement privés et la commercialisation de l’éducation qui en découle. Il examine les effets néfastes de cette tendance sur les normes et principes qui constituent le fondement du cadre juridique du droit à l’éducation tel qu’il est consacré par les instruments internationaux relatifs aux droits de l’homme.
Commercialisation is creeping into our public school system. A new report, Commercialisation in Public Schooling, reveals teachers are concerned about the influence commercialisation is having in schools; on everything from the provision of tests like NAPLAN, through to private providers offering classes in PE, Music, Drama and even professional development courses for teachers.
The report reveals schools are now forced to buy-in a substantial volume of educational products and services that were once provided by education departments.
These include: