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Newcastle teachers set to join state-wide rally

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Newcastle teachers will rally with colleagues from throughout the state this week, concerned about the impact a chronic shortage of educators is having on public schools.

New figures released to Parliament show more than 80% of the facilities in the Hunter had vacant permanent positions in October.

The NSW Teachers Federation’s (NSWTF) campaign begins at Banora Point on Monday 8 November, with further protests scheduled for Grafton (Tuesday 9 November), Coffs Harbour (Wednesday 10 November), Taree (Thursday 11 November) and Newcastle (Friday 12 November).

NSWTF president Angelo Gavrielatos, who will visit the area, warned without action, the shortages of full-time and casual teachers would grow due to rising enrolments, a 30% decline in people studying teaching, a rapidly ageing workforce and unsustainable workloads.

“If the NSW Government doesn’t act now, the deficiencies will only get worse and it’s country kids who will pay the price,” he said.

“Documents unveiled in Parliament indicate the NSW Government has covered up the extent of the shortages and the clear connection with uncompetitive salaries and unsustainable workloads.

“A confidential Department of Education briefing says: ‘The demands and expectations on teachers are increasing while the current rewards, pathways and learning opportunities are not providing enough incentive. On average teacher pay has been falling relative to pay in other professions since the late 1980s and this makes it a less attractive profession for high achieving students’.

“Every year teachers have been asked to do more but, every year, their pay has fallen in comparison to other professions.

“The shortages are proof that if we don’t pay teachers what they are worth, we don’t get the teachers we need.”

The NSW Department of Education documents warn the shortages are so bad NSW could run out of teachers within five years.

Four months ago, Education Minister Sarah Mitchell was warned: “NSW is facing a large and growing shortage of teachers – such as STEM, inclusive education, in rural and regional areas, secondary and where there has been significant population growth.”

Mr Gavrielatos said country children were bearing the brunt of the shortages and that the supply strategy the government was relying on was just a brochure with initiatives that had either failed before or were not supported by evidence they would succeed.

“Every parent in regional NSW wants to be reassured that in every classroom there will be a teacher with the time and resources to meet their child’s needs,” he explained.

“Yet the government’s inaction has seen the shortages grow and it is only going to get worse without real action.

“As the Department of Education says: ‘We cannot improve student outcomes without having a sufficient supply of high-quality teachers available where and when they are needed’.

“The NSW Government is ignoring the advice of its own department about the critical situation we are in.

“Instead of investing in teachers it wants to do nothing on workloads and maintain the wages cap that has contributed to the measurable decline in the attractiveness of the profession.”

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