Follow-up meeting personnel handbook education staff CN
In the second half of February a second version of the personnel handbook for schools in the Caribbean Netherlands was presented in concept form. Employees of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in the Caribbean and European Netherlands visited schools and the trade union for this end. The personnel manual describes the terms and conditions of employment of the staff in the education sector in the Caribbean Netherlands.
The legal status of teaching staff is a fairly complex issue. Working conditions are laid down in different arrangements. The manual itself is not a binding settlement. It provides only explanation about the rights and obligations as established in laws and regulations, such as information on remuneration, allowances and types of leave. An overview of the main regulations is set out in the annex to the manual. These regulations are public and available for everyone on internet (wetten.overheid.nl).
The personnel manual is intended for teaching staff on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba employed by a Government-funded school for public or special education. With education personnel is referred to the Director, Deputy Director, teachers and education support staff. The handbook does not provide detailed information on the application of the terms and conditions of employment in specific situations. There will always be questions about the concrete application of a regulation in a particular situation. Additional questions can be submitted to RCN/Education, Culture and Science via the e-mail address: vragenoveronderwijs@rijksdienstcn.com.
The first version of the personnel manual was discussed earlier, in June 2017, with the same stakeholders. As a result, the text was adjusted. Hence was created the second concept, which was now recently discussed. The realization of the personnel manual is one of the actions from the Caribbean Netherlands Education Agenda for the years 2017 to 2020. In the Education Agenda are included actions to further improve the quality of education. There is also attention for a number of pre-conditions, such as in the area of working conditions. The purpose of the handbook is to make it clear what conditions of employment apply to teaching staff and to promote that the terms of employment contracts for the schools are correctly implemented. These agreements are negotiated in the Agreement Focused Consultation (OOGO). This is a consultation between the school boards, trade unions and island governments (Executive Councils).
Photo caption:
The discussion of the personnel manual on Bonaire with the school managements and boards. Speaking is Policy Advisor, Helma van Schie, of the section Employment Terms and Conditions of the Ministry.
More information:
For more information about the personnel manual or the conditions of employment of the teaching staff in CN, please contact maritsa.silberie@rijksdienstcn.com or via telephone + 599 715 8319.