Teacher shortage stakeholder meeting held
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 2, 28 March 2024, page 13.
As a result of the suspended stop-work action in regional Queensland, spearheaded by Biloela SHS, North Rockhampton SHS and Sarina SHS, a stakeholder meeting was held on 29 February, involving key departmental officials, the QTU, and principals and Union Representatives from the schools.
The discussions centred around the commitment to staff the three schools, how to address the ongoing disputation involving a number of additional schools, and provision of a broader strategic direction in relation to staffing issues and critical vacancies.
Core initiatives raised by the QTU included:
- cost – including the cost to the system of rapid response versus the payment of appropriate incentives and the impact on wellbeing of teachers and school leaders
- payment of HELP fees, teacher scholarship, taxation laws and advocacy with the federal government
- paid practical placements
- overallocation issues
- differing local solutions depending on regions and complexity
- attraction of senior teachers, experienced senior teachers, and school leaders to schools with staffing issues
- regional and remote housing focus.
The QTU also strongly raised the fact that policy incentives enacted by the department in relation to behaviour management and suspensions in schools have adversely impacted on the teacher shortage, and these must be addressed as part of the problem.
In terms of the three schools, at the time of writing a suite of solutions has been offered to Biloela SHS, North Rockhampton SHS and Sarina SHS. Based on the solutions, members will decide whether to reinstate the suspended strike action.
To date, 14 schools have started the dispute resolution process in order to address critical teacher shortages. The department has agreed to fast-track local solutions by instituting fortnightly meetings between the principals and Union Representatives of schools who are currently in dispute, the QTU, and the relevant departmental employees. The aim would be to quickly identify and provide a targeted response to the shortage, depending on local needs.
The stakeholder group will meet again in three and six-months’ time to discuss clear and cogent solutions to address the teacher shortage.