The ongoing workforce crisis has forced the NSW Education Department to call on more than 2000 teachers who have retired or quit since 2019 in a bid to cover widespread shortages that are hitting schools in south-west Sydney the hardest.
In public high schools,there were 202 teacher vacancies in English and maths subjects in term four,86 in technology,75 in science and 75 in PDHPE. Regional and rural schools had some of the highest total vacancies from July to October.
In 2023,Murrumbidgee Regional High reported at least 40 empty teaching roles,including in English,maths,history,commerce,PDHPE and science. Dubbo College Delroy Campus had a total 25 unfilled roles,Gilgandra High 26,Gunnedah High 25 and Forbes High 18.
In Sydney,schools such as St Ives High and Arthur Phillip High struggled to fill up to 30 positions each last year.
A report from the NSW auditor-general released last year foundregional schools are now relying on retired teachers to cover for sick leave – often taking subjects they had not been specifically trained in.
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Brad McAllister,principal at John Therry Catholic College in Rosemeadow,said shortages were biting in all schools sectors.
“It’s tighter than it was a year ago,there are fewer teachers applying for jobs and the casual workforce has dried up. For PE teachers there was an oversupply a few years ago,and I think many of those re-trained or took up roles in other industries and left.”
“The pay rises are a step in the right direction,but workload issues are still a major problem,and there are more complex needs and challenges in low socio-economic parts of the state and city.
“Teachers get into teaching to make a difference to students’ lives,and we need to promote that more,” McAllister said.
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A northern beaches public school principal said in addition to rising housing costs,teaching had become a complex profession with higher expectations,saying:“PE teachers that used to be a dime a dozen,but I just can’t get the applicants.”
A NSW Education Department spokesperson said 23 per cent of public school students (189,000) identified as needing adjustments due to disability and other learning needs.
“We recognise that the current shortage of teachers presents a complex challenge,and we are addressing this through recruitment,professional development and support.”
In October,state school teachersreceived a historic pay risethat lifted salaries for top-of-the-scale public school teachers to $122,100 and new graduates to $85,000.
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