Embed equality and diversity!
Equality of opportunity, diversity, and inclusion are the hallmarks of a progressive education system. To achieve this, a recruitment policy must be implemented that seeks to attract to teaching the full spectrum of society in terms of diversity, including gender, sexual orientation, abilities and special educational needs, economic status, ethnic origin, language, religion, and migratory and citizenship status. Special attention should be given to recruiting teachers, trainers, academics, and other education personnel with migrant backgrounds and with different mother tongues. It is important to prevent and combat discrimination and to create a climate in educational institutions that recognizes the benefits of diversity and fosters tolerance.
We also demand that attention be given to recruitment strategies that aim to achieve equal representation of men and women in the profession. There is a significant gender imbalance within the education sector depending on the subject and level of education. Early childhood education, primary and secondary education are dominated by a significant gender imbalance with a predominant female workforce, while vocational education and training and higher education and research are predominantly male-oriented. To address this imbalance, recruitment strategies must be developed that encourage more men and women to enter also the less obvious fields and levels of the profession.