Local teachers' association supports pay rise call
Ettalong Woy Woy Teachers Association president Mr Chris Wright has spoken out in support of the NSW Teachers' Federation call for a pay rise in the face of a severe teacher shortage.
Mr Wright said the pay had not kept up with the changes.
"The teacher shortage is already impacting us now and the reality is in a couple years, if we do not address the issue immediately, the teaching profession will be in a dire situation."
"The work conditions coupled with the pay once upon a time was comparable to other professions."
He said this was no longer so and "the teaching profession is not attractive anymore".
"I have been in the teaching profession for over 20 years, working on the Peninsula since the 2000s, and I can tell you now the work involved in the teaching profession has changed astronomically.
"The Department is not accepting what the Teacher's Federation and the Inquiry has found - claiming the workload is covered in their policy.
"But their policy is based on the false belief that teachers do one hour of admin a day.
"That may have been the case many years ago, but I know I can spend as much as six hours a day on admin, marking papers, writing reports, planning lessons, the list goes on. "Teaching is now like having two jobs in one."
Mr Wright said if he knew what he knows now about the teaching profession he may not have chosen the career.
"There are so many casuals who retire from full-time teaching because they cannot handle the workload.
"If we only come up with short term solutions, hiring teachers from overseas or those with less experience then how will you guarantee the professionalism in teaching?"
"If the Government does not respond to our calls and get this right then it will be the students now and in the future who will pay the price."
Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch MP told State Parliament: "As a former teacher myself I know just how much time goes into the profession, and how much the workload has increased in recent years.
"It's a very important and rewarding profession and unless we address the problem teaching will fall further into crisis.
"It is all well and good to say thank you to our teachers.
"Right now we need more than a thank you.
"We need feet on the ground and that starts with better pay.
"At the end of the day, if we do not address the problems now, yes our students, families and in the long term our nation will pay the price.
"If the profession falls under the inaction of this Government, our students and future leaders will fall with them.
"Teachers are selfless and show up to work every single day and it is absolutely mind-blowing to see this Government turn its back on our teachers and, in effect, on every single student in NSW."
Ms Tesch said: "I will continue to support teachers as we push the NSW Liberal Government to address the shortage."
SOURCE:
Media release, 5 Nov 2021
Liesl Tesch, Member for Gosford