By The Star Staff
The Puerto Rico government has given permanent job status to well over 1,500 temporary teachers in the public education system, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia and Education Secretary Yanira Raíces Vega said Monday.
The teachers join the more than 3,500 who have received permanency during the current administration.
“During these last three years and five months, there have been many measures that have supported our teachers in the public education system, which in turn resulted in a better education for our students,” the governor said. “My administration has distinguished itself by expediting this status change process. In fact, on three previous occasions, I have granted permanence to 1,321 in 2021, 954 in 2022, and 1,249 in February of last year. This greatly benefits our public education system because we provide stability to the department and security to our teachers.”
“Today I announce that we will be impacting the educational regions of Arecibo, Bayamón, Caguas, Humacao, Mayagüez, Ponce and San Juan, granting permanence to 1,570 additional temporary teachers in the Department of Education starting next school year,” Pierluisi said.
Among the categories of teachers who will receive permanence are English teachers from kindergarten to 12th grade, school librarians and secondary education teachers in various subjects such as Spanish, mathematics, social studies and history, chemistry, physics, general science, environmental sciences, earth sciences and biology.
Also included are bilingual teachers, teachers of foreign languages such as French, Italian and Portuguese, special education teachers in various areas, school social workers, school counselors, occupational teachers in different fields and teachers and professors under the Assistant Secretariat of Occupational and Technical Education.
Likewise, teachers from schools under the Montessori modality were given permanence, as were teachers in other areas such as early education, physical education, health, fine arts and computer resources.
The Education lauded the increase in teachers in regular positions, especially in areas that are difficult to recruit for.
“I congratulate all the teachers, and I am very proud of this recognition that rewards their excellent work,” Raíces Vega said. “For you and us it represents stability in our schools and guarantees that each child or young person who arrives at their school in August has a teacher who receives them and is available to continue their educational process.”
During the past three years and five months, the Pierluisi administration has also granted the largest salary increase in history at $12,000 annually, along with bonus payments for the sacrifices made by teachers during the COVID pandemic.