Mallorca school meals: union says teachers face pressure

On Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands, teachers face pressure to supervise school meals even though the duty is voluntary, a union says. UOB says the problem affects public nursery and primary schools across the islands. In a statement on Wednesday, 28 October, it blamed staffing shortages at meal-service companies, new school meal rules and pressure from the Education Inspectorate.

The union says the companies cannot find enough staff, leaving teachers feeling they must step in. It also says school leaders are being pressed to cover care before lessons, from 07.30 to 09.00, or take on extracurricular activities. UOB accuses the regional education department of failing to hire the specialist staff needed.

UOB says the demands are adding to workloads and leaving school leaders and teaching staff without adequate legal protection. It argues that public schools are becoming 11-hour-a-day service providers at the expense of teachers’ health and working hours.

The union wants the school meal decree withdrawn immediately, an end to what it calls informal pressure from the Education Inspectorate, and non-teaching staff to cover hours outside lessons.

Topics: Jobs & labour · Education

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com