Teachers at Coomealla High School and Gol Gol Public School near Mildura and Bulahdelah Central School, walked off the job today protesting the reduction in staffing incentives and continued teacher shortages in rural and remote areas of the state.
Gol Gol Public School has been slated to lose their transfer point rating, effectively reducing their capacity to attract teachers to fill future vacancies.
Coomealla High School is still short an industrial arts teacher, head teacher science and the permanent filling of the principal position. They have called on the government to immediately addresses these shortages in order to support the learning needs of their students.
Bulahdelah Central School teachers also stopped work today in solidarity with members at Walgett Community College – High School.
NSW Teachers Federation Deputy President Henry Rajendra said many teachers at Bulahdelah Central School taught in Walgett and other hard to staff areas before transferring to the coast at a time when there was confidence in the Department’s staffing processes.
“Over the past decade, though, the government and Department have weakened previously successful processes that ensured adequate staffing of all schools across the state,” Mr Rajendra said.
“Members have declared their preparedness to take further action should the government fail to address the issues.”
“The NSW Government has let down students, parents and the wider community by failing to provide teachers for every student and every class.”
“The Education Department have known of the dire teacher shortage for some time but failed to address the problem. It is grossly unfair that students are going to school but not being taught because there’s no teacher.”
“We are hearing of unfilled teacher positions at schools in metropolitan Sydney and regional schools right across the state.”
“The recommendations of Valuing the Teaching Profession
