Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Article 28: “States Parties recognize the right of the child to education… they shall, in particular: make primary education compulsory and available free to all…”
Dear STFers,
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is working to draft a new optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, enshrining an explicit right to early childhood care and education; to free public pre-primary education, beginning with at least one year; and to free public secondary education—consistent with the right to free primary education.
This spring, more than 8,100 young people around the world, including students from seven STF Chapters, responded to a request to share why they think young people should have a right to free pre-primary and free secondary education. The OHCHR released a summary of the responses received. Some of the key recommendations children made include:
- Making education truly free for all everywhere by LAW with no hidden costs like transportation, meals, materials, uniforms or exam fees;
- Spend more money on teachers and schools;
- Make schools inclusive;
- Involve children in decision-making through councils, consultations and assemblies;
- And more!
See more input from young people:
- Check out the children’s view summary of recommendations
- Read the full conference room paper on children’s perspectives
Thank you STFers for contributing your thoughts to this process. We will share more updates as we receive them.
Negotiations for the new free education treaty being on September 1!
Check out this video from some of the child activists involved in this process
(Click to watch, 1:41)