Bundaberg and Burnett students are paying the price for Labor’s failure to grow the teacher workforce.
Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said he’s concerned the Palaszczuk Government’s trial Educational Precinct is a band-aid fix to a bigger problem.
“This trial will see 15 schools in Bundaberg share staff, facilities and resources,” he said.
“While it’s great to see educators work together and share expertise, I have real concerns about the added pressure this will put on our already overworked staff.
“The announcement has a lot of holes and raises a lot of questions. *
“We know 5,700 teachers and teacher aides quit in the last 18 months across Queensland.
“Overnight it’s been revealed that one in three students across Australia aren’t meeting minimum numeracy and literacy expectations.
“The new NAPLAN data shows one in ten are so far behind they need additional support.
“Alarmingly, Queensland is lagging behind New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia on multiple educational measures across all year levels.
“The Labor Government has no measures in place to understand why Queensland teachers are leaving in droves.
“It’s clear our students are suffering as a result.
“After listening to teachers and former teachers, it’s clear they’re fed up with bureaucracy and the Labor Government’s slap stick approach to fill vacancies.
“I’m hearing the Education Department is offering new graduates permanency after completing only one term of work, that’s without telling the school’s Heads of Department or even their deputy principal!
“The existing teachers are expected to teach the teachers; they simply can’t keep up.
“The Palaszczuk Government is scrambling to cover-up their own failings.”
Mr Bennett said teachers, schools, students, and parents deserve transparency.
“Close to one thousand Permission To Teach approvals were issued last year,” he said. **
“These allowed people yet to become fully qualified the ability to teach in Queensland schools.
“I want to know exactly how many of these unregistered teaching students were granted early approval in the Bundaberg and Burnett electorate. ***
“Our teachers have a huge responsibility in educating our children, they shouldn’t have to teach the teachers too.”
* QON: https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableoffice/questionsanswers/2023/886-2023.pdf
| Question from: Stephen Bennett, Member for Burnett |
| Question to: Hon. Grace Grace MP, Minister for Education, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing |
| Question: With Bundaberg named as a trial Educational Precinct, can the Minister if this initiative is due to a shortage of qualified teachers? Can the Minister advise the number of qualified teachers in Bundaberg, Fraser Coast and Gladstone Council areas who have permanently left the teaching profession since January 2022 and the recorded reason for leaving? |
*** QON: (Tabled this morning)
| Question from: Stephen Bennett, Member for Burnett |
| Question to: Hon. Grace Grace MP, Minister for Education, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing |
| Question: Can the Minister advise the number of Permission to Teach (PTT) registrations issued to unregistered teachers since January 1 2022, broken down by electorate? |
ENDS.
23/08/2023