Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre presented a finalized proposal at a mental health event. He said:
“We will distinguish between non-teaching staff assigned to educational activities and employees who perform tasks related to cleaning school spaces, security, among others. We want to qualify people according to the tasks they perform, especially those related to educational functions.”
Operational assistants perform various school functions, such as supervising playgrounds and students, supporting individuals with specific educational needs, cleaning spaces, answering calls, and resolving conflicts.
Concerns Over Task Separation And Management
The Minister of Education emphasized the lack of separation of tasks and functions among operational assistants is problematic. He added:
“These workers do not feel comfortable having to clean bathrooms, supervise playgrounds and even, if necessary, provide support in the classroom. There is a lack of clear guidance for schools on the management of non-teaching staff.”
Furthermore, he pointed out that many of these workers perform functions both in schools and in local authorities, which are responsible for their management. He also highlighted that some schools already distinguish profiles and qualify workers based on their specific functions.
Salary Increases And Fund Transfers
The management of non-teaching staff is shared between the government and municipalities. The Ministry of Education defines staff ratios per group, along with careers and salaries, while local authorities are responsible for hiring these professionals, in line with the decentralization of competencies.
To ensure the expected salary increases, funds will be transferred to the municipalities based on the geographical area and the number of students, explained Fernando Alexandre. However, he did not specify amounts or deadlines, stating only that the objective is to move forward as quickly as possible.
The ratio of employees per group will also be reviewed. The minister said:
“We are about to commission a study on decentralisation in the area of education, which will allow us to review the ratios.”
Upcoming Study And Ratios Review
The study will be conducted by a university and will map the competencies attributed to local authorities and assess how they are, or are not, being assumed. The minister did not give a date for the completion of the study but suggested that it could be ready before the local elections.
The Ministry of Education does not plan to create a special career for non-teaching workers, despite it being a demand from unions representing professionals in the sector. We intend to use existing careers to introduce the differentiation we want, clarified Fernando Alexandre.
The media sent questions via email to the Ministry of Education to gather more information about the model, including details on expected salary increases and the organization of the new structure.
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It sought to clarify, for example, how the distinction will be made between workers with educational and non-educational functions and what the criteria are for separating these categories, especially considering that many combine both tasks in their daily lives.
It also sought to understand whether, with the differentiation, workers with educational functions will come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry, while the rest will remain under the management of local authorities.
However, no response has been received to date.
Strikes Lead To School Closures
In the first two months of this school year, several strikes by non-teaching staff, particularly operational assistants, led to the closure of multiple schools.
The main demands of these professionals include salary increases, the creation of a specific career path that recognizes years of service, values the multiple functions they perform, and allows for salary progression based on seniority.
On October 4, a strike with high participation from non-teaching workers, estimated at around 85% according to the National Federation of Trade Unions of Workers in Public and Social Functions (FNSTFPS), was held.
The strike aimed to demand the creation of special career paths, salary increases, and better working conditions.
Among the FNSTFPS’s demands are a review of the ratios ordinance to increase the number of workers, a fight against precariousness, and the reversal of the municipalization process, which transferred the hiring of these professionals to local authorities as part of decentralization.
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More recently, on November 15, teachers and non-teaching staff in schools joined a national strike to demand professional recognition. Organized by the Union of All Education Professionals (STOP), the strike was accompanied by protests in several cities.
For non-teaching staff, STOP is calling for salary differentiation based on seniority and a “significant reduction” in the ratio of students per teaching assistant.
The union also advocates for the creation of a specific career, arguing that the teaching assistant career is “too broad” given the specific tasks performed by school workers.
Broad Support For Strikes
Strikes have also been called by various trade union organizations, including FESAP (Federation of Public Administration and Public Purpose Entities Trade Unions), FNE (National Education Federation), and SINTAP (Public Administration and Public Purpose Entities Workers Union).
These organizations represent workers from various sectors of the public administration and have been fighting for better working conditions, including salary increases, career reviews, and other specific demands for school professionals.
