Alternativa Docent demands more time and better pay for tutors

PalmThe teachers' union Alternativa Docente has demanded urgent improvements from the Ministry of Education regarding the working conditions of tutors, a role they consider crucial to the functioning of the education system but which, they denounce, remains undervalued in terms of both resources and professional recognition. According to the union, the role of the tutor is much more than a supplementary function. It is a complex and demanding task, essential for the comprehensive support of students and the cohesion of schools. However, year after year, this work has taken on more responsibilities without a corresponding increase in real improvements in time, conditions, or financial compensation. Currently, tutors must cope with a growing volume of bureaucracy and report writing, individualized student support, and the management of increasingly large and diverse groups. This also includes the design and monitoring of complementary activities, the emotional management of students in increasingly complex social contexts, support and mediation with families, and constant coordination with teaching teams and external services.

No set time

Alternativa denounces the fact that, in most cases, this work is carried out without dedicated time within the regular work schedule, forcing many teachers to take it on at the expense of their personal time. Furthermore, the current tutoring allowance of €36 per month is described by the union as "clearly insufficient." According to their calculations, this amount equates to approximately €1.20 per student per month, a figure they consider symbolic and derisory in relation to the responsibility involved. For part-time teachers, the compensation is reduced even further, to levels the union deems completely unjustifiable.

In light of this situation, Alternativa Docent demands that tutoring be formally recognized as a special role, with a substantial reduction in the teaching load for tutor teachers to allow them to carry out their duties with the necessary time and quality. They also demand a significant increase in the financial supplement, ensuring it is fair and proportionate to the responsibility assumed, regardless of their working hours. "The role of the tutor is a key component of the education system. Far from being an ancillary function, tutoring involves a complex, demanding, and essential task for the proper functioning of schools and for the comprehensive support of students," argues the union, which warns that without time and recognition, this role is unsustainable. With adequate resources, they conclude, tutoring can be one of the most powerful tools in the education system to guarantee a humane, fair, and inclusive education.