Teacher shortages continue to be cause for concern throughout the Macleay as members of the New South Wales Teachers Federation met to rally at the office of Member for Oxley, Melinda Pavey, on Tuesday afternoon (November 30).
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"There was about 64 attendees there, again it was apologies from the Office but no response from Ms Pavey yet," NSW Teachers Federation country organiser, Ian Watson, said.
"The main problem for members is the casual shortage at the moment. There's classes after classes not being covered or students jammed up the back of someone else's classroom.
"It's somewhat ironic this government says they care about kids but if you don't care about teacher shortages you don't care about student outcomes."
NSW Teachers Federation also released a statement prior to the rally relating to a document warning NSW has a large and growing shortage of teachers and says the state could miss out on more than 3,000 teachers unless a drop of almost 30 per cent in the number of people studying to become a teacher is reversed.
"The information is contained in a briefing document prepared for the secretary of the Department of Education in July ahead of a meeting with a panel conducting a national review of Initial Teacher Education," the statement reads.
The speaking points for the meeting state: "As with many other jurisdictions, NSW is facing a large and growing shortage of teachers, in specialisations like STEM and inclusive education, in rural and regional areas, and secondary".
"The briefing also warns enrolments in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses have fallen by almost 30%, contributing to teacher shortages and adds: "Failing to respond to projected reductions in ITE enrolments in NSW is likely to mean a loss of over 3,000 potential teachers by 2030."
NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said it proved, once again, the scale of the staffing crisis in schools.
"This document shows there is a large and growing shortage of teachers and a huge drop in enrolments in teacher education courses that are making the problem worse and could cost us more than 3,000 teachers," he said.
"The only way to stop the shortages and recruit the teachers we need is to invest in teachers through more competitive salaries and lower workloads."
Mr Gavrielatos said the government's wages position had not changed since 2011, despite all the evidence that shortages were hurting students and uncompetitive teaching salaries were turning people off joining the profession.
"The 2.5 per cent wages cap is the problem, not the solution," Mr Gavrielatos said.
"Maintaining a wages cap in the face of a dramatic decrease in the attractiveness of the profession, rising shortages and at a time when you need to recruit thousands more teachers is a recipe for disaster.
"Mr Perrottet is putting at risk the education of a generation of kids. The Department of Education warned last year NSW could run out of teachers in five years if action is not taken."
With Tuesday's rally the second in four months, Mr Watson explained that if a lack of action from government officials continues they will be left with no choice but to strike.
"This is one final attempt to get the government to take notice before there's statewide industrial action next Tuesday," he said.
"Obviously that'll cause a disruption but teachers are running out of options to get the government to act on this matter.
"The absolute vast majority of public school teachers will be participating in that action I would imagine."
The decision for potential industrial action comes after the NSW Teachers Federation council voted unanimously to strike for 24 hours on Tuesday December 7 over the Perrottet Government's refusal to lift salaries and reduce workloads for teachers.
The full NSW Teachers Federation media release can be read here.
Contact has been made with the Member for Oxley's office for a response.
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