Fighting for recognition and respect in education
The outsourcing of services, privatisation and minimum hours for part-time workers were among the many issues addressed during the Education Support Personnel workshop at Education International’s Seventh World Congress.
“From the beginning Education International (EI) had the idea to include Education Support Personnel (ESP),” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen. “I’m happy to see that more and more member organisations are beginning to understand that education quality is not just teaching, but that it represents much more.”
The packed workshop gave those in ESP and other EI delegates the opportunity to discuss and debate how to increase the recognition and respect for ESP throughout the education sector.
It was clear from participants that despite strides being made to advance ESP, workers still do not get the attention on national levels. One participant said that they are “still treated as second-class education workers.”
Roundtable discussions led to a consensus that ESP must organise globally to campaign as a unified education group. The focus was on how to build members and leadership, build power outside in the streets, to take the ESP message out of schools and into the public conscience.
The theme of privatization in and of education is seen as a major challenge to ESP, with public school systems increasingly outsourcing workers.
Congress resolution 2.1 Education Support Personnel, yet to be adopted, reinforces EI’s commitment to ESP and to protecting their rights as education workers.Photo Credit: Gabriel Castro - IEAL
