Celebrating the crucial role of Education Support Personnel for quality education for all.
Education Support Personnel (ESP), a range of professionals like teaching assistants, school nurses, cafeterias workers, maintenance crews, and bus drivers, play a crucial role in ensuring quality education and a safe learning environment.
However, many are employed on precarious terms, facing increased exploitation and lacking fundamental rights such as collective bargaining. Advocacy efforts emphasize their rights to a safe workplace, professional development, and participation in decision-making processes at their institutions.
The Aveiro Statement – “Go Public: Fund Education Support Personnel” further encourages education unions, among others, to call for increased domestic and international public education financing and specific funding for education support personnel as part of Education International’s Go Public! Fund Education campaign.
Among other findings, the study shows that precarious contracts lead to heavy and fragmented workloads and mean that ESP are less able to integrate into the pedagogical dimension of the school. It also explains that, in extreme cases, ESP’s roles are redefined as unnecessary or as ‘voluntary’ roles. Their work being devalued, ESP may choose to leave the public education sector.
Confronted with deteriorating conditions, ESP and their unions are building coalitions to defend the public sector, engaging in lobbying and refining strategies by collaborating with researchers and the international community.
To find out more about this research joins us for our ESP Day webinar on May 16th, click here to register.
Join our campaign and raise your voice for public education everywhere!
Spread the word by sharing the resources below as we mobilize to go public and fund ESP!
Raise your voice in support of Education Support Personnel on social networks. Use the suggested posts and images below and don’t forget to tag Education International so we can amplify your message:
🎉 It’s World #ESPDay! 🆕 research shows the negative impact of privatisation and funding shortfalls for education support personnel. It’s time to respect and value these professionals, #GoPublic and #FundESP!
Global education union movement rallies in solidarity with educators in the United States as they resist relentless attacks from the Trump Administration
On the 4th of July, Independence Day in the United States, education unions around the world are standing up in support of the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Our colleagues are on the frontlines, mobilising and organising to defend public education, students, and school...
From private failures to public futures: Why FFD4 must Go Public
David Edwards
For over a decade, Education International has warned that the World Bank's “Billions to Trillions
” agenda—a strategy to leverage small amounts of public money to attract private investment for development— would prioritize private profit over public need. We were dismissed as ideological, anti-market, unrealistic. Then came the evidence.
Not the exception, but essential: Teachers with disabilities in mainstream classrooms
Nidhi Singal
Where are the teachers with disabilities in our classrooms?
A question I often ask my audience is: “How many of you were taught by a teacher who identified as having a disability during your school years?” In a room of 50–60 people, usually only one or two hands go up.
From policy to practice: Elevating education leadership and formative assessment in Africa
Discussing effective leadership strategies and sharing insights from their respective countries. That is what brought together union leaders from Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Côte d’Ivoire during the workshop “Elevating school and teacher leadership for quality education,” convened by Education International Africa (EIA) and aiming at enhancing school and teacher leadership...
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4
20 June 2025
Go Public: Zimbabwe's education union’s successful push towards education quality and funding
Awareness raising activities in all regions of the country, continued dialogue between educators and policymakers, enhanced teacher professional training and certification. These are some of the achievements of the Zimbabwe Teacher’s Association (ZIMTA) since the national launch of the Education International (EI) Go Public! Fund Education
campaign.
Education support personnel are key to quality inclusive public education: A call for recognition and fair treatment
Education Support Personnel
(ESP) are the backbone of our schools, yet they often face discrimination, low wages, and lack of job security. On World ESP Day, May 16th, education unions worldwide raised their voices to recognition and demand better conditions.
