Minister listening to what the department failed to hear
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 4, 7 June 2024, page 9.
As a trusted stakeholder in Queensland’s education sector, the QTU has been engaged with the Department of Education’s review of the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 since 2021. It has consistently maintained the position that any amendments to the act must include a workload impact statement and a separate budget impact statement, and that both should be publicly available.
While the department failed to hear the QTU, the Education Minister Di Farmer has listened and taken action by withdrawing school disciplinary absence (SDA) amendments to the act. These would have provided appeal rights for a cumulative 11 SDAs and legislated student support plans for every SDA and for students in particular cohorts.
The Minister listened to the extensive feedback from education stakeholders and recognised the amendments prepared by the department could lead to unintended consequences. The Minister has called for further stakeholder consultation to chart a way forward.
A Ministerial Statement from Di Farmer (15 April) stated: “Schools are increasingly complex environments. There is a need to make sure that our most vulnerable children are supported. However, it is also important to recognise that teachers and school leaders are facing increasing challenges.
“It is critical that the government works with education stakeholders to get the balance right by providing educators with the tools and resources they need to make sure these students receive the best education possible.”
Meanwhile, the QTU’s Valuing Our Profession campaign continues to achieve other wins for members, including:
- a statement from the Department of Education’s Director-General confirming that school disciplinary absence data is not to be used as a performance measure for state schools
- clarity around Week 41 (final week of the school year)
- a workforce roundtable (between the QTU/DoE) on occupational violence
- additional resourcing for Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum.
In addition, QTU Executive members have received an analysis of the Queensland Parliament’s Education, Employment, Training and Skills Committee report into the Education (General Provision) and Other Legislation Amendments Bill 2024 and endorsed a plan of additional actions. At the time of writing, the QTU General Secretary, Kate Ruttiman, has written to the Director General and proposed terms of reference for a consultative body to action the Minister’s call for further consultation on school disciplinary absences.
Further reports on the QTU’s Valuing Our Profession campaign, QTU Executive actions, and forums to discuss school disciplinary absence will be reported in Newsflashes and other QTU member communications.