Today, as we celebrate and recognise the vital importance of teachers, we must focus on fixing the significant issues within our education system that are hurting the teaching profession.
National Coordinator of the Teachers’ Professional Association Scott Stanford is calling for systemic reform to address the entrenched inefficiency that has plagued education in our country.
“We’ve been deprived of the dedicated and caring teachers that we need in Australia.”
“For too long, successive governments across Australia have lauded the work of our teachers whilst simultaneously making their job harder, driving them away from the profession in droves.”
Mr Stanford noted that the increasing size of the bureaucracy has resulted in crucial decisions for local schools being taken away from communities and given to departments in the big cities.
“As government education departments have become increasingly clogged, student results and teacher wellbeing has plummeted – the proof is in the pudding.”
“Teachers need to be set free from the endless paperwork overload. They also need to be protected from unruly students, which the current system allows to run largely unchecked. This can be achieved through a local approach that enables schools, teachers and parents to act in lockstep.”
“A round of applause and a social media post on a day like today doesn’t make one bit of difference to the lives of teachers across Australia – they want the government out of the classroom.”
Yesterday, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) put out a media release advocating for teachers to use the arts in order to “explore their feelings” in this stressful time.
“USQ’s limp statement is insulting to teachers on the front line. It reminds us of the parlous state of teacher training and reflects the attitude that’s plaguing education in our country. Teachers need decisive support to enhance their working conditions, not to sit cross-legged and sing kumbaya.”
“It’s time we give power back to local communities, parents, and teachers.”
-ENDS-
Media Contact - Edward Schuller (0481 571 537)
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