“Free to Learn, Learn to Be Free!”
Demand for Children’s Rights to Free, Quality Education!
The Global Action Week for Education 2002 brought together the voices of people around the world demanding the fundamental right to education, during 22-28 April 2002. This annual event was organised by partners of the Global Campaign for Education to remind the governments to fulfill their promises to provide free, quality education for all by the year 2015.
In the year 2002, a strong message “Free to Learn” would be echoed across the world to demand an increase in the spending for education and the abolishment of school user fees, including fees for syllabus books, uniforms, lunch, and other necessary materials. Moreover, the year 2002 is the deadline for submitting National Action Plans for Education for All (EFA). Public pressure build during the GAW 2002 will help ensure that this important step towards meeting EFA goals is met without a delay.
Worldwide, two main activities were planned:
Children’s Drawing Competition: “What I Want to Become, When I Grow Up”
GCE partners and UNESCO jointly organized an International Children’s Drawing Competition. Children from all over the world, including former child labourers, street children, and school going children between the ages of 6-12 years old, were asked to draw their future dreams. Education is what can make these dreams come true!
School Report Action Card
The School Report Cards target both the Southern governments and rich Northern governments to do their part to make free, quality education a reality. The Action Card allowed individual to comment on the progress by their governments and by donors. The signed cards were collected and presented to Southern governments and to donors to demand change.