“We can’t have your kids”

“Due to the shortage of teachers family members are asked not to work, refrain from bringing their sons and daughters. “We continue to have problems hiring personnel.” This is the message that is constantly faced by families who take their sons and daughters to Las Folias Nursery School in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The center relies on the Ministry of Social Welfare of the Canary Islands Government, to which area they attribute the problem. Reduction of personnel in lieu of sick leave.

According to affected parents, this issue has been “fixed” since the beginning of the school year. New appointments were made a few months ago but after the losses the problems have once again come to the fore. Shortcomings in these centers Who have fewer employees than those dependent on the Education Department of the Canary Islands Government. alexis rodriguez He is the father of a two-year-old girl who goes Las Folias SchoolWhere closure of classes due to shortage of teachers has become common. “They called me at 7:30 in the morning so that I wouldn’t take the girl while we were getting ready,” he says.

From Social Welfare Department They have explained on several occasions that they cannot use personnel from the education list and that they are required to update their sector list, which is currently empty. Therefore, when new appointments are needed, this department, headed by Candelaria Delgado, must turn to the public service to authorize job offers through the Canary Islands Employment Service. Although both these appointments took place a few months ago, problems have persisted at these centers since January.

The area’s deputy councillor, Francis Candil, explained to canary islands now This shortage of personnel affects the 13 nursery schools that depend on this department and that it is cyclical, sometimes an affected center can be seen and sometimes a distinct one. He explains that the staff is working hard to overcome these shortcomings and that in Gran Canaria there is also a director who carries out these tasks in two schools. “We have to find a definitive solution,” he admits.

He explains that in recent months he has worked with unions to carry out a selection process, which will give them a list to resort to if necessary to replace sick leave. However, a union force challenged the process and claimed that this was why it had become slow. When this status was unblocked, it indicated that the public service had another process in progress and they had to stop it. However, he is confident that it will be resolved in the next 15 days.

“I am sad to inform you that tomorrow we will not be able to receive your sons and daughters because of the teacher who has not been hired yet. We have two casualties and nothing has been done to resolve this as of now. The head teacher of the class has the whole day on her hands and there is no one to look after these minors,” read one of the last messages sent to families from the centre. In recent weeks, the family They have not been able to take their minors to class for many days.

Alexis Rodriguez fears the center will close due to this lack of personnel. Remember how important it is routine for minors And this condition disrupts their daily life. For example, at the beginning of the school year, her daughter struggled with diapers because there were days when she couldn’t go to school. It emphasizes that minors have the right to receive quality education on the same terms as other schools.

From the Cobas union they emphasize that due to the lack of resources “the families and children of these schools are being affected, because they are not able to provide this public service, they must be sent to their homes,” Able to carry out their daily activity with guarantees, since their teachers are not replaced, knowing that this is an essential service for families who have fewer resources or for those families who have to face difficulties in their working life. “There is a need for this public service to be able to reconcile.”

The union also highlights that this is increasing the workload of employees, as it “sees employees have their rights to family and work reconciliation reduced or even cancelled, even though they are asked to take appropriate action from the centres.” Sufficient time has been requested for the work.” .” “And remember that these schools still cover places and areas that have not been covered due to the mobility of school personnel to other services of this Department.”

Cobas emphasizes that these centers have differences with respect to those implemented in the Ministry of Education since last year, as they have more staff in the classroom: a teacher, a senior technician, an educational assistant and assistance at meal times. with . However, “all this is currently considered by a teacher in social welfare nursery schools,” he says.