Teaching assistants (TAs) and support staff in schools have demanded a salary increase in an open address to the United Kingdom Department of Education. According to teaching unions across the country, these staff members are not being rewarded for their work justly.
While teachers recently received an increase in pay by around three pounds (GBP2.75), TAs and support staff have not received the same kind of treatment form the government or the Department of Education.
According to unions, this is an unfair situation, and support staff should be able to benefit from the same salary increase – either a ten percent (10%) increase of their current pay rates or a fixed rate of ten pounds (GBP10) per hour.
Teaching assistants, school budgets and parents
Unfortunately, in recent weeks, there have been several addresses to the Department of Education with requests for an increase in education budgets and aid for parents who cannot cover back to school costs for their children.
The current financial situation in the educational system is not very pleasant, and such increases in salary might not be possible. According to recent statistics, there are more than two hundred and fifty thousand teaching assistants all over the United Kingdom, and an increase in their salary will be a severe challenge to the Department of Education.
Recent reports have detailed that Northern Ireland has been overspending its education budget for several consecutive years now. Considering this, it might be impossible for the government to allocate the funds necessary for an increase in TAs and support staffs’ salaries.
