Featu

Why FEATU?

The Federation of East African Teachers’ Unions (FEATU) is the Voice of Teachers on the Education sector development, teachers’ professionalism and decent work and employment in the region.  Through uniting seven labour unions with over 750,000 members, cumulatively, the federation represents the custodians of knowledge on education, professionalism and teachers’ labour matters across levels in the region.

What are objectives of FEATU?

Support Harmonization.

Support harmonization of systems, procedures, processes and Education Policies within the East African Community (EAC) member states.

Support Each Member Trade Union

Support each member trade union with a view to strengthening them to execute their mandate in their respective countries.

Development of Labour Standard

Advocate for development of labour standards within the education sector in the EAC especially as it relates to teachers.

Establishment of a FEATU-representation

Work towards establishment of a FEATU-representation and participation within the EAC-secretariat.

Promote Cooperation With Education Stakeholders

Promote cooperation and share experience/information with other education stakeholders and labour movements within the EAC as well as other relevant organizations for the common interests of its members.

Promote Objectives of Education Bodies

Promote the aims and objectives of Education International and related bodies.

Promote Kiswahili Within The Federation

Endeavor to promote Kiswahili within the Federation and EAC.

Core Concerns of the federation

Towards Quality Education for All and Improved Teachers‘ Working/Living Conditions

The core concerns of FEATU are on quality education for all, strengthened and harmonized quality of the teaching profession and improved teachers‘ welfare and status.

Towards access to quality education for all, FEATU is in support of the East African Community (EAC) initiatives for harmonization of policies, curricula, systems, procedures, processes, examinations, promotion of cultural issues such as Kiswahili, other international languages used in the region, culture and sports and cross-cutting issues that relate to initiatives on improvement of quality education for all for life. 

Being a regional labour union of teaching professionals, FEATU strives to collaborate with other like-minded local, regional and international bodies such as labour organizations and civil societies as partners and/or stakeholders for improved labour standards, strengthened educators’ professional standards and quality of living through improved welfare and status in view of professional recognition, decent work and employment of teachers across the region and beyond.

What FEATU Does

  1. Working towards the observer status at the EAC for contributing towards quality Education and improved working/ living conditions of teachers in the region.
  2. Empowering unions within the international solidarity spirit initiatives.
  3. Building stronger unions in terms of capacities for effective social dialogues, negotiations, lobbying, communication, networking and coalition building on quality education for all matters and decent work and employment concerns.
  4. Providing moral, technical and material support to politically, socially and economically affected members.   
  5. Strengthening the political and social solidarity spirit taking part in union’s events such as national congresses or sad moments/tragic events.
  6. Popularizing the federation and affiliates within the region and outside. 
  7. Collaborating with local, regional and international partners and stakeholders on labour related and education improvement related matters. 
  8. Networking and sharing experiences with best practices on labour matters, professionalism matters and social economic programs.
  9. Establishing partnership over the advocacy agenda on education sector development.
  10. Participation in special activities organized by the EAC. In 2010 Featu was represented at higher level negotiations team for the EAC common market protocol.
    1. Promoting good governance and democratic leadership within FEATU and in its affiliates unions by conducting constitutional meetings for addressing constitutional matters. 
    2. Conducting capacity building activities with support from DLF/DTDA (Danish labour unions) for empowering FEATU and affiliates.    
    3. Addressing cross-cutting issues in relation to challenges affecting initiatives over quality education for all and teachers working and living conditions.
    4. Hosting international forums/events for sharing knowledge and experiences on professionalism. In 2011, FEATU was a co-host of the African Forum for Teachers Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA). And, FEATU and its affiliates have been co-hosts for Early Childhood Education (ECE) project regional coordinators and project advisory committee workshops/meetings organised by BUPL.
    5. Visiting vulnerable communities whose opportunities for children’s quality education are at risks. In 2015 a visit was made to three refugee camps of Nyarugusu, Mtendeli and Nduta in Kigoma, Tanzania to explore challenges interfering with initiatives for the provision of quality education for refugees.  The findings were shared to the relevant authorities
    6. Affiliates and the head office play big roles in the training of ECE teachers for multiplier effects (in three EAC countries), technically and financial supported by BUPL/DTDA labour unions of Denmark.