Education staff wants to take action against poverty
The specter of 'inflation' is haunting. It is especially difficult for support staff in education. But educational staff who can still pay the bills themselves also see the effect on children and young people: 'I want to take action for the students who come to school in our country hungry.'
Image: Nino Maissouradze
From the recent AOb-inflation impact survey - check the results - it appears that the financial situation of almost all the sponsors surveyed is dire. Especially those of single parents or single earners. "I can't pay for groceries or gas because I have to give priority to other bills."
Teaching staff draws attention to colleagues in support. “We all work equally hard,” writes one respondent. 'Some colleagues earn outrageously little,' another commented.
I'm ashamed that I can't pay my bills
figurehead
A teaching assistant from the Utrecht area strongly agrees. 'I don't have the energy or time to act as a figurehead of protest. Because my salary is so scandalously low, I have to look for a second job on the side. I can no longer pay my bills and have debts for the first time in my life.'
Until now, she had saved it by calling on her savings account, but now that inflation is hitting so hard and the savings are running out, she can't help but borrow money. "I'm ashamed that I can't pay my bills and give my children what they need."
To care
Also Nathalie Wasia, teaching assistant at ROC Rijn IJssel is not sure how to get through the winter. “I am a single mother and earn too little to get by,” she says in a telephone interview. “My energy bill has increased from 56 to 200 euros per month and now the health insurance premium will also increase next year. I don't want to just eat sandwiches every day because I don't have the money for anything else, but I don't see how I can solve this either.
This is an abbreviated version of the article of the same name from the November Education Magazine. The Education magazine in your mailbox every month?
Wasia: "My biggest fear is that my child and I, because I am in debt, will end up on the street. That has been keeping me awake for weeks. I now work 32 hours, often work overtime and am overworked in my job "For example, I regularly stand in front of the class to replace sick colleagues, but I don't get paid extra for it. It's because I like the work so much, because for the money I can better look for another job. At work I can share my concerns and discuss the stress I am experiencing with my supervisor and colleagues, but they cannot do anything for me.”
It cannot be the case that the supporters are forced to take a second job next to it
Abuse
AObdirector Thijs Roovers endorses the problems: “It cannot be that the supporters are forced to take a second job on the side in order to pay their bills. And schools must stop asking teaching assistants immediately. The use of assistants is abused because this is an easy and financially attractive solution for schools. But if you put them in front of the class, pay for it in front of."
The willingness to take action, for example to demand a higher minimum wage for supporters, is extremely high. More than 85 percent of the respondents indicate that they want to take action with a petition, strike or demonstration. And not just to raise their own predicament financial situation or that of their colleagues. 'I want to take action for the students who come to school in our country with hunger', someone says.
More than 53 percent of the respondents indicate that they notice in practice that inflation affects students and pupils. Such as the students who come to school without breakfast or who do not have a packed lunch. Other children wear clothes that are too cold or too small or cannot go on outings or camps because there is no money for them.
A pack of cookies is cheaper than apples
Free school fruit
“As a school, we participate in the EU school fruit program,” says Cansu Özçelik-Zenen, teacher of special primary education at De Kameleon in Papendrecht. “Participating primary schools will then receive free fruit and vegetables for all students three days a week for twenty weeks. On these days we notice that the parents don't give anything, because they count on the free school fruit. We can't force parents to give them fruit either, because it's simply too expensive. A pack of cookies is cheaper in the store than apples.”
Özçelik-Zenen continues: “I notice in my class that it is especially hard for single parents. They try to arrange the basics for their child and that just works, such as bread for lunch, but in terms of clothing you see that this is not always possible. Like winter coats that are too small. And recently a student lost his glasses. His mother indicated that she had no money for a new one. Fortunately, the glasses were found, but this is just the beginning. I fear the worst is yet to come.”
Malieveld
Sietske Groenendaal, executive secretary at Kempenhorst College in Oirschot, believes that a strike should be struck if necessary. “I am prepared to come to the Malieveld. I did that in 2018 too.” She finds it important that financial matters are properly arranged for herself and for her colleagues. “It is the talk of the day in the teachers' lounge: what is your new energy rate? Mine has increased from 325 euros to 800 to 900 euros per month, so the summer holidays are no longer in it. We're certainly not bad, because my husband also has a job, but everything is getting more expensive every week. And I wonder where this will end.”
Not on the Malieveld but in Amsterdam at the Olympic stadium, the FNV is organizing a national manifestation on Saturday afternoon, November 26, under the title 'The Netherlands deserves better!'. The AOb joins in and calls on teaching staff to do the same. Free bus transport is arranged from all over the country.
Register for the event:
