Education International Research
Box 13: In Brazil, Most Education Support Personnel Face Low Pay, Precarious Contracts and Poor Working Conditions Education support personnel (ESP) are professionals in a broad range of roles (from food and nutrition to administration; career guidance/counselling to security) who work in educational institutions. They provide a vital contribution to ensuring that students receive a quality education, and they are particularly important to facilitating the achievement of inclusive education, a key component of SDG 4. A survey of ESPs conducted by CNTE as part of an EI multi-case study172 research paper173 on ESP working conditions found that the profession is female-dominated. The ESPs surveyed reported that they faced poor working conditions and received little recognition for the work they did. Research shows that ESPs in Brazil are highly qualified and highly experienced — 53% of respondent ESPs had a higher education or postgraduate qualification, and 26% of ESPs had been in their current job for over 25 years. Despite being highly qualified professionals, nearly all of them (91%) felt they were not fairly paid. In addition, they reported precarious employment conditions, with 43% of surveyed ESPs saying they lack an official employment contract or agreement, and 50% reporting that they do not feel they have any job security. The research demonstrates that ESPs are not adequately respected or supported. Many ESPs in Brazil felt they were not adequately recognised for the work they do to contribute to quality education. According to one respondent, “people in general have no idea how important each job is for the functioning of the school” (ESP #5, Food and Nutrition). Another said that “most parents think that we are their children’s maids. They do not see us as part of their education” (ESP #422, Maintenance). Meanwhile, opportunities for professional development and career progression are scarce. Sixty per cent (60%) of respondents said they have no access to formal professional learning and development opportunities. Sixty-three per cent (63%) do not have the opportunity to engage in informal professional learning and development. Sixty-six per cent (66%) of ESPs stated that they do not have access to opportunities for promotion or higher responsibilities. Many ESPs in Brazil work in challenging work environments. Thirty-one per cent (31%) of respondents did not agree that their institution was a safe and healthy workplace. One ESP reported that “the school infrastructure is completely obsolete; there is no adequate lighting or piped water in the toilets and sinks. There are also no guards and porters during school hours”. (ESP #57, Administrator). There is a clear mismatch between the low status of ESPs in Brazil and the important contribution they make to the education community. ESPs are crucial to the adequate functioning of educational institutions in Brazil, but the majority receive extremely low pay, precarious contracts and poor working conditions. Governments must guarantee all ESPs the right to decent work. This requires curbing the privatisation of education, as outsourcing the hiring of ESPs to private contractors too often means that ESPs are employed under unacceptably poor conditions. GRO.EI-IE
Too many teachers are unsafe at work, especially women
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Teachers in every region of the world are put at risk by teaching in unsafe conditions. According to unions responding to EI’s Status of Teachers survey, the main source of danger is lack of access to adequate infrastructure in the form of housing, latrines, access to water or other related facilities. However, violence within education institutions is also reported by a majority of respondent unions, and attacks on schools are reported by a shocking 41% of unions. Though it may seem an obvious truth, it is often forgotten that school attacks and militarisation, such as the ones documented in the case study of Lumad schools in the Philippines (see Box 9 in Chapter 6), affect teachers and education support personnel as well as students. 172 The case studies included: Brazil, Canada (Quebec), France, New Zealand, the Philippines, the United States of America and Zimbabwe. 173 Butler, P. 2019. Understanding the Invisible Workforce: Education Support Personnel’s Roles, Needs and the Challenges they Face. Education International. Retrieved from: https://eiie.sharepoint.com/sites/eiwebsite/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems. aspx?id=%2Fsites%2Feiwebsite%2FShared%20Documents%2FDocument%20download%2FCOM_ESPday2019%2FEN%2FResearch_ ESP_Final%20Report%2Epdf&parent=%2Fsites%2Feiwebsite%2FShared%20Documents%2FDocument%20download%2FCOM_ ESPday2019%2FEN&p=true&cid=c04cd185-d8b4-4286-93a1-3b2e835f6810
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