South African educator leads global union: Dr Maluleke takes helm at education international

Published Jul 31, 2024

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The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) is proud to announce that its General Secretary, Dr Mugwena Maluleke, has been elected unopposed as president of global education federation, Education Internationa (EI).

Maluleke was elected at the EI’s 10th World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which runs from July 29 to August 2. The event was attended by 1,400 delegates from education unions worldwide.

In the statement by Xolani Fakude said, “We express our sincere gratitude to all the unions and their members for supporting his election.

“The EI has 383 member organisations in 178 countries and territories representing over 32 million educators and education support personnel from pre-school to university level.”

Maluleke, a dedicated teacher and social justice activist since his college days, is an experienced unionist and the General Secretary of Sadtu, the largest union in the public service and an affiliate of Cosatu and EI.

His international education activism is well-established – he was the Vice President of EI’s Africa Region, where he promoted unity and stability among unions and supported teacher unions in challenging environments like eSwatini and Palestine.

Maluleke has also facilitated numerous domestic and international webinars on democracy, human rights, and workers’ rights, and has co-published over six peer-reviewed papers in education.

His election not only honours him but also highlights Sadtu’s significant role in advancing education, ensuring access to quality education for all, and protecting the rights of education workers.

“We have no doubt that Cde Maluleke’s vision for education will bolster the voice of Education International and elevate South Africa to have a say and sway in education matters on the international stage,” said Fakude.

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