Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly has reacted to a survey of classroom assistants revealing some feeling they are used as ‘dogsbodies’.
The survey, carried out by UU and the Centre for Effective Services, surveyed 1,500 classroom assistants.
Speaking today, Mrs Brolly said:
“It is well recognised throughout the education sector that classroom assistants are undervalued and underpaid.
They are offered no incentive or payment for their time-intensive training and every teacher knows they are worth their weight in gold.
The survey again highlighted the impact of challenging behaviour in the classroom since the pandemic lockdowns, with classroom assistants and teachers often bearing the brunt.
The unstable nature of employment for classroom assistants is a major concern, with some on temporary contacts for decades. This needs urgent attention and dedicated funding to schools to ensure long term retention of staff.
The entire system of support for those in our classrooms needs to be updated urgently. Current figures suggest a 50% increase in SEN, our workforce and places of work were not designed for such and this urgently needs addressed.
Classroom assistants and teachers need a curriculum relevant to today’s society where early intervention is prioritised would reduce the pressures as children progress and classroom assistants are valued.”
