Members of the Teachers Federation at Peel High School in Tamworth have walked off the job today over the school staffing crisis.
Teachers have walked out of Peel High School in frustration, unable to cover 22 classes with casual teachers in the past week.
NSW Teachers Federation Deputy President Henry Rajendra said the walk out had been prompted by a lack of action by the NSW Government to solve the staffing crisis.
“Peel High school has had to collapse classes, cancel senior classes for Years 11 and 12 and provide minimal supervision of students on the oval,” Mr Rajendra said.
“Teachers are alarmed that through no fault of the school, students have been denied a safe and productive learning environment where they can be known, valued and cared for.”
The “walk off” is one of many around regional NSW to have taken place this year. NSW Teachers Federation say the members are demanding immediate relief via the implementation of additional staff.
“What they are demanding from the government is to immediately provide them with the additional teachers that they need to make sure they can cover all classes and provide access to the curriculum for all students.
“Regrettably, to date with all the walk outs throughout the state the government has failed to come to the party to negotiate with the union a reasonable and appropriate outcome for this staffing shortage.
“Sadly, it’s been over nearly 20 years since the Department of Education have conducted a comprehensive workforce analysis. We are facing a massive growth of student enrolments over the next 20 years and we are also requiring an incredible additional amount of teachers” said Mr Rajendra.
Mr Rajendra said the Gallop Inquiry into the work of teachers found earlier this year that uncompetitive salaries for teachers and unsustainable workloads are leading to teacher shortages.”
“The workloads of teachers have increased every year, but their salaries have fallen every year compared to other professions.”
“You can’t fix the shortages without fixing the wages and workload problem.”
“If we don’t pay teachers what they are worth, we won’t get the teachers we need," he said.