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NICIE welcomes Department of Education payment to classroom assistants13/02/2009
NICIE has welcomed the announcement by Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, that classroom assistants in grant maintained integrated schools, along with those in voluntary grammar schools, will receive a share of a £1.3 million payout.
This money will allow a new Department of Education evaluation of their jobs to be fully implemented; benefiting staff in 39 grant maintained integrated schools.
Michael Wardlow, Chief Executive of NICIE, commenting on the news, said: “NICIE is delighted that after a long and sustained lobbying campaign, the Department of Education has obtained the funds necessary to support classroom assistant job evaluation in grant maintained integrated schools.
“This move rectifies a serious inequality which saw classroom assistants, who were doing the same job, receiving different rates of pay depending on the type of school in which they were employed.
“NICIE is relieved that classroom assistants in grant maintained integrated schools now have the same choice and rights as their colleagues in other schools with regard to job evaluation.”
Jill Markham, Principal of Oakgrove College and Vice-Chair of the Association of Principal Teachers in Integrated Schools, said: “The Minister’s decision comes as a huge relief to grant maintained integrated schools all over Northern Ireland which have struggled over the last 18 months to deal with an unfair situation.
“This has put a heavy strain on principals and governors who greatly value the work and dedication of classroom assistants but have been unable to offer them the option of job evaluation.
“The situation has taken a long time to resolve but we are now looking forward to working with the Department to ensure that those classroom assistants who wish to avail of job evaluation can be accommodated as quickly as possible.”
