Education support personnel cover a wide range of professional, administrative, technical, and general staff working within the education sector such as teaching assistants, school nurses and psychologists, bursars, and bus drivers, among others.
Education support personnel are vital to the delivery of quality education and to ensuring a safe and positive learning environment. They must be recognised for their work in the education community and enjoy the same status, rights, and conditions as other education personnel with similar academic and technical qualifications and experience, as outlined in the Education International Declaration on the Rights and Status of Education Support Personnel.
An ever-growing number of education support personnel are employed on a casual, part-time or limited-term basis. We are particularly concerned about the increased exploitation of education support personnel, the absence of decent work conditions, and the violation of fundamental human and labour rights, such as the right to organise and bargain collectively.
We advocate for education support personnel to be guaranteed the right to a safe and healthy work environment, professional support and guidance as well as possibilities for career development. As education professionals, they must be able to contribute to and participate in decision-making in their educational institutions, particularly on issues directly affecting their jobs.
On the 16th of May 2018 we introduced and celebrated the first World Education Support Personnel Day. Every year, we mark this day to highlight and raise awareness of the critical role of education support personnel in the provision of quality education across the world.
