The Congress education department operates within the context of the Congress education policy which seeks to build political awareness among the working class, as a prerequisite for attaining a social change that could deepen democracy and build a more equal society. The Congress education committee provides political direction for the education programmes of the department. The activities of the department are structured into; National schools (Rain & Harmattan) state level schools, study circle programmes, and monthly public lectures. For the period under review, the department has implemented the following:

 

Review of the Modules of the NLC National Schools (ongoing):

The Congress through the support of the FES is currently reviewing the modules of the national schools, based on the outcome of the NLC educators’ workshop held in November, 2019. The workshop suggested for a need for the review of the national schools’ modules to respond to the new emerging challenges in the world of work. A compendium of education resources will be developed and published in a single resource book to be used by educators/facilitators in the Schools as well as during affiliate trade union education programmes. Comrade Steve Faulkner was assigned to do the review, and FES will bear the cost of the review.

 

Rain School for the year 2020:

Given the challenges posed by the Covid-19 Pandemic, the department under the guidance of the National secretariat is currently working out strategies to conduct the 2020 rain school online. This will form part of the ongoing transformation of activities of the Congress leveraging the ICT resources. The dates for online version of the school will be communicated to the affiliates and the state councils.

 

Study Circle:

The Congress with the support of PANAF runs the yearly study circle education programme. This is a shop floor-based study programme for trade union education that engages with the challenges in the workplace. This year, the Congress is planning to conduct 1000 study circle programmes nationwide. The dates for the commencement of the study circle programme will be communicated to the affiliate unions and the state councils.

 

ZOOM meeting of the Congress affiliate in the education sector on the re-opening of schools:

The education department through the Congress education committee held a virtual zoom meeting on the 24^th June, 2020 with the Congress affiliates in the education sector. The meeting brainstormed on issues and concerns of the workers in the education sector on the proposed re-opening of schools by the federal government. The far-reaching recommendations of the meeting was contained in a communique issues at the end of the meeting, which received wide circulation and coverage by the media.