Student Aides situation being regularised says Education Ministry

As Student Aides continued their protest demonstrations again, today, the Ministry of Education once again issued assurances that their situation is being regularised.

As Student Aides continued their protest demonstrations again, today, the Ministry of Education once again issued assurances that their situation is being regularised.

Last Wednesday, April 21, Student Aides protested in front of the Ministry of Education’s South Eastern Education District Building in Rio Claro, over the non-renewal of some of their contracts.

A news release issued by the Ministry explains that it has been working on their cases over the last several months.

“The Ministry of Education began the process of regularizing 68 student aides since November 2020.  Interviews were held in February 2021 and as a result, 68 student aides will be hired on 3-year contracts, 50 of whom are from the batch of 78 presently on short term,” the release stated.

“Therefore, 50 of the 78 will transition to longer contracted periods within the next 2 weeks. In addition, 10 of the 28 not transitioning to 3-year contracts have been re-engaged until the end of the school year up to this time,” the Ministry added. 

The Ministry also reports that student aides will continue their support work for students.

“Specific instructions have been issued that NO STUDENT AIDE will be removed from the student they are assigned to before the end of the school year,” the Ministry asserts, “and all arrangements are to be made by the Student Support Services Division (SSSD) to accommodate this, in the best interest of the students to which aides are assigned.”

The Education Ministry points out that the SSSD itself—the Division under which Student Aides are employed—currently is under a review process by Public Management Consulting Division (PMCD).

It says the resulting staffing and other recommendations, will be given serious consideration.