Regional and rural schools are struggling under the weight of teacher shortages and the NSW Teachers Federation is not happy. 

The Federation is reeling, as figures released this month show that there are 276 vacancies for teachers in schools in the Rural South West region (which includes Dubbo and the Central West) affecting 93 percent of its 298 schools, and the Federation is applying pressure on the Prime Minister to step up and fully resource public schools. 

The National School Reform Agreement has left NSW public schools with a frightening $1.9 billion or 11 per cent shortfall which means over 10,000 permanent school-based teacher positions. 

NSW Teachers Federation Senior Vice President, Natasha Watt travelled to Dubbo this week to meet with rural and regional representatives to discuss ways to combat the funding shortfalls and fill much needed teacher positions. 

“It’s time for the Prime Minister to step up,” said Natasha Watt, Senior Vice President of the NSW Teachers Federation. “Private schools in Sydney which receive substantial public funding, are splurging on unnecessary vanity projects such as equestrian centres and Scottish castles, while public schools are missing out.   

“Premier Chris Minns and Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car are doing their bit by lifting salaries to tackle the teacher shortages. But now it’s time the Prime Minister joined the effort. 

"Proper funding would mean more teachers, delivering smaller class sizes. This would allow more one-on-one time for students with complex needs.” 

The weight of teaching shortages falls squarely on the teachers left to work around school staff shortages, adding to already stressful work situations. 

"93% of schools in the rural South West region are experiencing teaching shortages resulting in classes being collapsed, larger classes, teachers teaching outside subject area and less curriculum choice for students," says Rod Brown country Organiser AEU NSW Teachers Federation said. 

A spotlight is thrown on the discrepancies between Public and Private school funding through a report released on the 24th of February -  by the Australian Education Union, entitled “ending the Capital Funding Divide in Australian Schools”. 

The report says there are huge potential educational, economic and social benefits for the Commonwealth Government to invest in Australia’s public schools and it’s about time to even the playing field after years of neglect.  

Issues arose such as Principals expressing concerns over lack of classroom space, with the number of demountable classrooms in public schools growing by 30% between 2011 and 2022, while a noted gap in per student investment of $1,110 per student in public schools to $2,401 for private school students was cause for concern.  

For 2021 alone the gap in investment on a per student basis between public schools and private schools was $2.7 billion.

Per student capital funding from governments to private schools has increased by nearly half (48%) in the five years from 2016 to 2021 alone, and despite calls from the NSW government no ongoing capital funding was forthcoming from the Commonwealth.  

Some private schools spend more on capital works than entire public school systems according to the report, with five individual private schools spending more on capital works in 2021 ($175.6 million) than more than 50% of public schools in Australia combined ($175.4 million). 

These 3,372 public schools with the lowest capital expenditure educate 842,120 students. The five individual private schools educate a total of 10,294 students and outspend the bottom 50% of public schools by 82 times on a per student basis.  

According to the report, in 2021, Loreto Normanhurst in NSW announced plans to spend $130 million on redevelopment and Barker College also in NSW, having already spent $40 million on a three-storey indoor sports complex is now planning to spend an additional $150 million building a performing arts and exam centre, and an aquatic and tennis centre.   

Combined, these two schools alone are planning or have projects underway that exceed the total capital investment for all schools in Tasmania over the decade 2012‐2021 ($314.3 million).  

“There’s no better investment than giving students the education they need and deserve,” Watt said. “It allows them to explode out of the starting blocks and contribute back to their community and the nation." 

Despite approaching several teachers and principals all who declined to comment for legal reasons, Western Plains App was told teacher and funding shortages in rural and regional schools continue to create difficulties for both student’s educational outcomes and teacher employment rates.

Concerned teachers, parents and community members hope that someone somewhere will soon see their plight and assist to close the gap.