At the commencement of term 4, 2022, public education schools at Brewarrina Central School were short 10.0 teachers, Walgett 17.2, Bourke 8.5, Coonamble Public School 4.0, Lightning Ridge 5.0 and schools in Dubbo a total of 17.0 teachers.

The NSW Minister for Education and Early Learning, the Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC said that as of 10 October 2022, a total of 2,458.7 teacher vacancies existed in NSW public education. 

In June 2021 there were 995 permanent vacancies across the state so in just over 16 months teaching vacancies have spiked by 1,464.

Coming in behind this immediate shortage is a current 30% reduction in people studying teaching in NSW.

These are among the challenges the NSW Department of Education's Teacher Supply Strategy 2012 to 2031 aims to tackle.

Impacts in schools

The NSW Upper House's Education Committee released the interim report of its inquiry into teacher shortages in New South Wales on 8 November 2022.

Titled Great teachers, great schools: Lifting the status of teaching, teacher quality and teacher numbers in New South Wales the report gives a frank account of the current teaching crisis.

As part of the committee’s findings a survey issued to 11,299 teachers across all NSW schools found that: 

• 92% reported teacher shortages causing merged and cancelled classes
• 65% reported teacher shortages causing out-of-field teaching
• 39% reported teacher shortages leading to unsupervised classes
• 
  

In addition, a troubling 60% of teachers surveyed planned to leave teaching in the next 5 years. That percentage represents 6,780 teachers.

System on the edge

The Chair of the Committee, the Hon Mark Latham MLC said the NSW school education system is at a tipping point. For 20 years its academic results have consistently fallen away, which can only mean two things.

First, NSW Government policy has failed, and second, classroom teaching is not up to scratch.

“This report identifies the critical need to lift the status of teaching as a way of attracting more high-quality teachers to the profession, and ultimately raise academic standards in NSW schools. We must treat teaching as a modern, dynamic, rewarding profession," Mr Latham said.

IMAGE: pixabay.com

Among the committee's 21 recommendations was a call to renegotiate the teachers' industrial agreement, as well as giving special recognition to teachers with strong value-added performance.

They also recommended that the Government ensure "a rigorous and consistent program of independent classroom observation, which will bring all NSW teachers up to high-quality, evidence based classroom practices”.

'If we don't uplift the status of teaching in New South Wales, we can't uplift our school results and the lifetime opportunities of our young people. That would be a tragedy for New South Wales at every level', Mr Latham said.

Riverina to receive trial

One measure to counteract decreasing teacher numbers was launched yesterday (Friday 11 November 2022) but is initially limited to the Riverina and involves students from just two tertiary institutions. 

The two year pilot program aims to attract and retain local teachers from the Riverina region by giving teaching students a guaranteed permanent teaching job in a local public school at the end of their degree.

The pilot will support ten (10) teaching students to receive a double degree including a Bachelor of Education or a Master of Teaching (Secondary) through the University of NSW in 2023, and ten (10) VET students to achieve a Certificate III or IV in School Based Education Support through Alphacrucis University College in 2024.

While undertaking their studies, teaching students will be employed as educational paraprofessionals working part-time in a teaching hub school.

Students looking to achieve a Bachelor degree will also be supported by a school based mentor.

This pilot program is in addition to the government's Teacher Supply Strategy which they say has a $125 million price tag.