QTU President's comment, 30 April 2018

Initial response to Gonski 2.0 report

The release today of the report of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools (link to report https://docs.education.gov.au/node/50516) highlights the gap between rational thought on education and the policies of the Turnbull government. While much of the media reporting has been measured and true to the intent of the report, the federal government, led by Minister Birmingham, persists in attempting to paint our education system and the teachers and principals who work within it, in a negative light.

The report holds that the review focused on “identifying impactful and practical” strategies to build on improvement efforts already under way in education systems across the nation. The recommendations appear to reflect a strong link to the views of stakeholders that provided more than 300 submissions to the review.

The deciding factor, as always, will be preparedness of governments to provide the resources necessary to deliver on the potential. State schools have already been targeted by the Turnbull government with unfair funding arrangements that must change if the report recommendations are to be realised.

Central to the report’s findings and subsequent recommendations is an acknowledgement of several key considerations that have been driving debate on education for some time.

• The 19^th century “industrial” education model needs to change.
• We need to refocus on meaningful teacher-led assessment rather than point-in-time tests such as NAPLAN.
• There should be a place for students in designing and leading the learning process.
• Teachers’ and principals’ workloads are too heavy, largely due to having to deal with non-educational tasks.
• We need to refocus on teachers’ and principals’ professional expertise, including ongoing professional learning and professional autonomy for principals to be education leaders.

The federal government controls the budget but runs no schools. Only state governments and teachers and principals can deliver on any change in education. The test will be what the federal government does with the review report through the federal budget, the negotiations for new education funding agreements with the states and territories, and in the lead-up to the next federal election.

The devil is always in the detail. Analysis of the lengthy report is now underway and detailed reporting will be provided as soon as it is possible to do so.

AEU Media Release - www.qtu.asn.au/aeu-mr-300418

Kevin Bates
President

Articles from the Queensland Teachers Journal

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From the President: Workload still priority 1

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From the President: Schools, TAFE and the QTU – a big part of this Queensland life

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From the President: A year of “F” words

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From the President: Safety at work is not negotiable

Two new data sets show that the lived experience of occupational violence for teachers, principals and school support staff is now more accurately reported.

From the President: Managerial vs professional autonomy

Governments around the world have spent the best part of the past three decades attempting to “legislate” schools into autonomy when all that is needed is a change of mind – or so it would seem.

From the President: A victory for fear over hope

With conservative governments being swept to office around the globe, we should take stock of the implications this trend presents for education.

From the President: Just doing what needs to be done

One thing is abundantly clear: a fair outcome for school leaders will only eventuate when the complexity of leading a school in the 21st century is understood.

From the President: Forging our future

The fact is, like the rest of our nation, Australian teachers and principals need a pay rise. The value placed on any professional is not measured by pay alone, but it is a strong indicator of the worth our community places on the roles we play.

From the President: Government adopts cyberbullying recommendations

A $3.5 million investment will kick-start the Queensland Government’s commitment to tackling cyberbullying through the framework recommended by the Anti-Cyberbullying Taskforce.

From the President: And the teachers answered "No"

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From the President: Cyberbullying: why should you put up with it?

It’s about time more people were talking about cyberbullying of teachers and school leaders and more parents, students and community members reflected on their behaviour in online spaces.

From the President: A new way or more of the same?

Does “Growth Through Achievement” (Gonski 2.0) represent a new way for education or another invention of the establishment to be done to teachers rather than developed with teachers?

From the President: When more means less

The school day is finite and forcing schools to take on more programs on social and community issues will mean less time for core curriculum

From the President: Fair Funding Now! – not one cent less!

The Australian Education Union, the QTU and our allies have launched the next phase of the campaign to deliver the funding needed for every child across the nation to realise their potential through a high-quality education.

From the President: Education - one path to changing the rules

As in many processes in the natural world, imbalance does not last forever. Countervailing forces rise to restore equilibrium and sustained excesses almost always have catastrophic consequences.