- Teachers need big pay rises, says report [Front Page]
by Amanda Banks
“Substantial pay rises, better housing and an improved image for the profession are among a long list of changes the State Government needed to implement to tackle the chronic teacher shortage, according to a report that Education Minister Mark McGowan has kept secret for six months.
“The taxpayer-funded report by academic Lance Twomey criticised the Government for failing to devise a strategy to avoid the teacher shortage, which he said had been evident for many years.
“The Government, which is locked in a bitter pay dispute with teachers, has fought hard for many months to prevent the report being released. In a bid to keep it secret Mr McGowan rejected a request for a copy by the West Australian under Freedom of Information laws.
“It is surprising that workforce planning has not been given greater priority within the education sector, considering that the declining trends in teacher supply have been evident for some years,” the report said.
“Data supplied by the Department of Education and Training’s workforce planning unit indicates that in the five years between 2002 and 2007, classroom teacher vacancies at the start of the school year increased from 55 to 206.
“This trend is increasing and indicates that without substantial intervention, it will become increasingly difficult to fill vacancies in regional WA, in secondary education generally and in specific subject area.”
“Mr McGowan said the report had been released as an “act of good faith” after a WA Industrial Relations Commission decision on Tuesday night that banned teachers from taking further strike action.
“We have been implementing dozens of the initiatives already,” Mr McGowan said. “However, I do recognise more work needs to be done.”
“Professor Twomey welcomed the release of the report, saying it was likely to take up to three years to implement the recommendations and would require hundreds of millions of dollars.
“He said the Government’s pay offer to teachers, giving pay rises of between 13 and 22 per cent, was a “reasonable” start towards the significant across-the-board salary increases that would be needed to attract people to the profession.
“Professor Twomey warned that the report provided a package for reform, saying the recommendations were inter-dependent and none would work in isolation.
“The report shows that WA teachers and TAFE lecturers are paid below the national average at nearly all salary levels, despite being the only State to have a steady decline in the general pool of teachers in a booming economy.
“The report, which calls for an overhaul of the pay structure to recognise areas where it is hardest to recruit staff, says the Government has taken action to address the present teacher shortages, but that it is not enough.
“Significant spending to improve country housing, lifting the perceived status of teaching, introducing a TER subject on the “study of education”, better practical teaching arrangements, a strong marketing campaign, increasing the number of para-professionals in classrooms and a merit-based scholarship system to attract high-achieving students into the profession are among the report’s other recommendations.”
From The West Australian
- Teachers’ union says report backs their claims [online only: added at 1:45 pm]
by Aleisha Preedy
"Teacher wage increases recommended in the long-awaited Twomey report should be a priority for the State Government, the State School Teachers Union said today.
"The Education Workforce Initiatives Report by Professor Lance Twomey was released yesterday by Education Minister Mark McGowan.
"SSTU president Anne Gisborne welcomed the report and said it reiterated what WA teachers had been calling for: wage increases and better conditions.
“It certainly isn't saying anything more than what we have been saying, but it gives an independent perspective that has identified the key elements in our log of claims,” she said.
“These claims include a need for significant salary increase, the need to deal with improved allowances, incentives for people working in remote and rural communities, the need to address housing provisions, career path developments, student management and better infrastructure.”
"Ms Gisborne said she hoped any wage recommendations were implemented as a priority and that the union would release an in-depth response to the report next week.
"The report, commissioned by the State Government in February 2007, was designed to look at issues facing the teaching workforce across Government and non-Government sectors over the long term.
"Although pay rises were recommended to combat the State's teaching shortage, the report did not specify how much teachers should receive.
"The government has been under pressure to release the report as it continues a protracted dispute with the State School Teacher's Union over pay rises and improved conditions in the State's schools.
"Earlier this year the union rejected the government's offer of 13-22 per cent pay rises and demanded pay rises of more than 20 per cent over three years as well as smaller class sizes and more time allocated for administration and preparation.
"Speaking at the unveiling of the report yesterday, Mr McGowan said the Government had originally intended to release the report following detailed consideration of the 83 recommendations and the development of a formal response.
“In light of the decision by the Industrial Relations Commission to rule against any further industrial action by the State School Teachers' Union, and in response to the continuing speculation about the content of the report, I have decided to release it today,” he said.
"However, the Minister said the report was not intended to frame the current Government school teachers' enterprise agreement, and anyone reading the terms of reference would see that.
“The report does recommend a significant increase in pay for teachers but does not specify the size of any increases,” he said.
“The fact that the Government's pay offer to Western Australian teachers would make ours the best paid of all States is ample demonstration of our commitment.
“I am also firmly of the view, backed up by the Twomey report, that teachers working in the toughest schools and in the most remote locations should be rewarded, which is why we offered significant increases in allowances, which could have totalled more than $22,000.”
"Mr McGowan said the report covered 15 major themes, including remuneration, leadership and mentoring, flexible learning, housing, vocational education and training, workload, and career progression.
“There are more than 80 recommendations traversing Commonwealth and State issues and multiple agencies,” he said.
“The Government has been responding progressively to the report over time and many initiatives have been implemented that answer its recommendations. The Government will continue to respond to its recommendations in the future.”
"The Minister said it was important to note that Professor Twomey had made the observation that no one recommendation by itself would improve the status of teaching.
“This report, along with other advice received by Government, must continue to underpin a wide-ranging and long-term program of education reform in WA,” he said.
"Shadow Education Minister Peter Collier yesterday said it was essential for the government to implement all of the 80 recommendations the report contained.
"He said unless the government recognised the report reflected the needs of the profession, the teacher shortage would deteriorate even further.
“The ball is now in the Government's court – this report cannot be consigned to the dustbin like so many others before it,” he said.
"Mr Collier said teachers across the state would welcome the release of the report– albeit well overdue.“Today has the potential to be a watershed day for teachers in Western Australia – but only if the government embraces the recommendations of the Twomey Report.” [emphasis added]
From The West Australian at link
- Strict records ‘key’ to school asbestos peril (page 49)
by Yasmine Phillips
“WA schools are littered with more than 21,000 asbestos-containing materials, according to a parliamentary report released yesterday, which has prompted fears for health and safety if a comprehensive database is not strictly observed.
“The Upper House committee inquiry into the level of exposure to the deadly substance found that 769 schools had asbestos products in their fences, walls, sunshades and vinyl flooring.
“There is an extensive presence of ACM (asbestos-containing materials) in State schools,” the report said. “The Asbestos Survey identified over 21,000 ACM components in 769 State schools.”
“The report found that stipulated procedures had failed Karrinyup’s Deanmore Primary School when an electrician unknowingly worked on asbestos during school hours.
“In its submission to the inquiry, the State School Teachers Union called for all ACMs to be removed from WA schools and colleges.
“But WA Council of State School Organisations president Robert Fry said that task would be well beyond the economic means of any government. He urged people to be extra cautious when working with older buildings.
“I think the biggest concern is if the Government needs to replace them – they’ll be looking at almost every school in the State,” he said.
“The committee recommended that information relating to the location and removal of ACMs be strictly recorded on a register and the Department of Education and Training maintain a record of all air monitoring.
“Liberal MP Barry House, who chaired the committee, said the department had already begun to enforce those recommendations but highlighted the need for more transparency in its management processes.
“Asbestos in schools is a very sensitive issue and we all have a responsibility to make sure it’s managed safely,” he said.
“The committee took up this issue as a result of matters related to Carine Senior High School – we have explored how DET surveyed and managed ACMs in schools across the State. As a result of our inquiries, there has been considerable progress.”
“DET acting executive director of infrastructure Mal Parr said 60 cases of overhanging branches rubbing against asbestos materials had been dealt with after an asbestos registry identified more than 21,000 ACMs last year.
“The remaining incidents were “low risk”.
“With appropriate management, no concerns are anticipated with these building components,” he said.
“The department is looking at the implications of the committee’s recommendations.”
From The West Australian
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Letters to the Editor (page 22)
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It’s time
“Now that the gas crisis has hit and the WA public has been left in the dark about all the relevant facts, perhaps Alan Carpenter can face his moment of truth.
“The Twomey report, addressing issues to do with the teacher shortage, has been a well-kept secret. The findings have jet to be revealed, even though it is strongly suspected the report would shed some light on teachers’ pay claims and call for improved conditions.
“Now, in the face of threatened cuts and power shortages, the WA public is again being told that the full story of the gas explosion has not been revealed. Why this veil of secrecy? Mr Carpenter has taken over the reins of this portfolio from Fran Logan, apparently in an effort to look like the knight in shining armour who saves the day and consequently leads Labor to a clear victory in the forthcoming election.
“I, for one, do not want a leader who has absolute power. We all know that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Labor governments have always represented the grassroots. I don’t want to be kept in the dark about strategies that can save the public sector and I certainly don’t think it is fair that in this time of wealth and prosperity generated from the mining industry I should have to freeze during winter.”
Christine Kelly, Spearwood
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Try a stint at my school
“I have to shudder at Lisa Moller’s response (Letters, 17/6) to Katherine Summers’ examination of her experiences (Opinion, 14/6). Good on Ms Summers for staying at a difficult school doing the hard yards trying to make a difference and not running from the situation. We need more dedicated staff like her.
“Most schools in WA have at some time experienced similar situations to the ones described.
“In my 23 years of experience in education and in discussion with colleagues we found Ms Summers’ articles to be more than accurate.
“Lisa Moller has made the suggestion that “if you’re a half-decent teacher you could find a new school in the current climate of teacher shortages”. Dear Lisa, in the metropolitan area teachers can accumulate only a limited number of transfer points. We’ve had staff trying to transfer for 20 years.
“Perhaps if you have been in your school for more than five years you may offer your place as a swap to one of the more challenging areas.
“In our school over the past few years we have experienced the following , and I have not included all major incidents.
“We were one of the first schools in WA to experience a police lock-down and search of the grounds by armed TRG with dogs that lasted from 9am to 12.30pm while we were stuck in the classrooms, staff and students, with no access to toilets. That was fun.
“We had two armed parents fighting over a carpark space at the end of the day with students trying to go home safely; a recently released prisoner who was armed, holding three staff hostage in the principal’s office over a custody battle; a parent, unhappy with their child being stopped from fighting with another student, who went to a staff member’s home at the weekend throwing stones, gum nuts and making threats; break-ins at the school, to secure areas, stealing and damaging student and staff belongings.
“These are just a few of the incidents. In case you are wondering, this is a primary school in Perth. Let us know when you would like a transfer to our school and I will put a good word for you.
“You need to recognise that because there is such diversity in our culture, so too are the types of experiences staff face in education. Don’t pull other staff down because you have not experienced what they have. I look forward to your future support as we strive to improve conditions for staff in schools.”
Russel Riley, Thornlie