Celebrate education support personnel with us!
On May 16th, Education International and its member organisations will mark the fifth edition of World Education Support Personnel (ESP) Day by holding an online meeting around this year’s theme, Decent Work for ESP Now!
Decent Work for ESP Now! webinar
Taking place at 14.00–15.30 CEST, it will enable member organisations to exchange strategies to secure decent working and employment conditions for all ESP. Register here and join us!
ESP’s deteriorating working and employment conditions
Education International’s General Secretary David Edwards reminded that, “on World Education Support Personnel Day, we celebrate all the professionals around the world who work to ensure quality education for all students. They deserve recognition. They deserve secure jobs. They deserve decent work.”
However, during the past years, many ESP around the world have been hit by deteriorating working and employment conditions. In many contexts, insufficient education budgets – often stretched further during the pandemic – and the undervaluing of ESP’s crucial work for quality education have led to pay cuts and lay-offs.
ESP are crucial for quality education systems
“Today, and throughout the pandemic, education support personnel have done whatever it takes to support quality education for all students. Their work is crucial to maintain happy, safe, healthy, and vibrant education communities. Education International calls on all governments to uphold the labour rights of education support personnel and ensure their status as valued education professionals,” stressed Education International’s President Susan Hopgood.
Education International’s Declaration on the Rights and Status of ESP
Education International believes that defending the rights and status of ESP is a priority. We are calling on governments to enact our Declaration on the Rights and Status of ESP.
Use our communications kit and help us spread the word that all ESP deserve respect and decent working conditions.
The declaration is also available in French, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.
You can also read the blog piece by NZEI/New Zealand General Secretary Matthew Mc Gowan, “Education Support Personnel build and protect universities”, here.
