Over the course of the last number of months we have witnessed a dramatic boost in funding for public education.

The announcements associated with the COAG Agreement on 29 November 2008 and the investment in school infrastructure as part of the economic stimulus package represent the biggest investment in public education in decades.

$3.5 billion is being spent on infrastructure in NSW public schools over the next three years. As a result of the COAG national partnerships there is $700 million to be spent in NSW over 4 to 5 years on quality teaching, literacy and numeracy and low SES schools. Overall NSW is receiving approximately 44% of the total funds, with 85% of the funding for low SES communities coming to public schools.

This outcome is the result of the tireless campaigning by supporters of public education for more than 10 years.

As you would be aware, the Federal Government has announced a review of schools funding. To be conducted in 2010 and 2011 the review will inform schools funding from 2013. It will be a most significant moment in the politics of education in Australia.

We must now turn our attention to building a campaign aimed at ensuring a just outcome which reflects the fact that it is free, secular, universally accessible public education that remains the key to a vibrant, socially cohesive and prosperous Australia.

UNICEF Day for change is an unprecedented partnership between UNICEF Australia and public schools.

With support from the NSW Teachers Federation and the NSW Department of Education, NSW public schools since 2006 have united as part of the UNICEF Day for Change.

All public schools in NSW are encouraged to celebrate UNICEF Day for Change by holding a fundraising activity on Wednesday 28 October 2009 with students making a gold coin donation.

The Department is preparing materials to assist teachers to integrate development issues and elements of UNICEF's work into their teaching programs.

Student leaders are also encouraged to work with fellow students to raise awareness of their role as global citizens.

Farzad Kamangar, a 33-year old teacher and former trade unionist from the Kurdistan Province of Iran, is at risk of execution following the ruling issued at an unfair trial.

Kamangar, who worked as a teacher in rural areas and was a human rights activist, is accused of being a terrorist through his alleged affiliation to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, PKK. According to his lawyer, Khalil Bahramian, there is no evidence to justify the judgement that Kamangar has "endangered national security". His lawyer, who was not permitted to defend him, says Farzad's trial was not in accordance with article 168 of the Iranian Constitution: "Political and press offences will be tried openly and in the presence of a jury, in courts of justice." In this case, only one judge reviewed the case within five minutes and the defendant was not allowed to speak.

Education International and LabourStart are conducting an online campaign to Save Farzad.

You can participate in these campaigns by clicking on the links below.

Education International website

LabourStart website

Stewart House gives children the opportunity of enjoying the life of a child, often for the first time. Children from Kindergarten to Year 10 are eligible. There is NO cost to children's parents. Children are given medical, dental and optometric assessments and if necessary treatment and/or referral to an appropriate specialist. In order to pay for the costs of the children's food, their bedding, the excursions we take them on, their supervisors' salaries and various operating costs, we must now raise $2.7 million each year. Supervisors must be employed to care for the children in their dormitories overnight and to supervise them at meal times and on excursions and weekend activities.

Currently, 7840 DET staff contribute some $800,000 per annum towards running costs at Stewart House. A mandatory fire upgrade across Stewart House's site means the charity projects a more than $200,000 loss this year unless significantly more people make donations.

The Sam Lewis Peace and Environment Awards are concerned with human rights and international cooperation as well asthe peaceful use of science, culture and religion and the mass media.

NOTE: CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 19 SEPTEMBER

The awards aim to promote knowledge and understanding of how different cultures deal with conflict and recovery.

Federation recognises that preservation of the natural environment and global warming is the most significant challenge confronting our planet today. Teachers have a responsibility to do all that they can to ensure that students learn about how to work towards making Australiaand the rest of our planet environmentally sustainable.

There will be one prize of $1000 awarded for each of the three divisions:

• primary (years K-6)
• junior secondary (years 7-10)
• senior secondary/post school education (years 11-12/TAFE)

TAKE ACTION NOW!

• Hold a meeting to consider the support and resourcing needs of special education students in your workplace and, in consultation with your organiser, develop and implement appropriate political and/or industrial strategies to secure improvements in your school.
• School staffs are authorised, in consultation with their organiser, to take action to address potential and actual breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and to prevent educational disadvantage to students. OHS matters that should be considered include teacher workload and student violence.
• Let the Minister, local members of parliament and the DET know about your concerns. Pro forma letters are included to assist with this.
• Use the attached resource material to assist you with action in your school.

The Federation acknowledges that there have been a number of significant improvements in support for Special Education in NSW public schools in recent years. These have included the establishment of additional special education classes, especially Autism and ED classes, the establishment of behaviour schools and units, and the appointment of an additional 700 teachers aides special. In most cases these have been secured as the result of action by the Federation and action by members in particular schools.

Nevertheless, significant areas of concern remain. These include the increasing of special education class sizes to fund the provision of a full-time teachers aide for every special education class, the continued integration of students into the mainstream without adequate resources and support, the failure to apply the secondary staffing formula to SSPs with secondary students, the failure to adequately address OHS concerns, especially where those have arisen in relation to violent students, the removal of STLA allocations where a significant need continues to exist in a school, the inadequacy of integration funding support and the inadequacy of counselling and therapy services. Some of these issues arise because the DET's cost-neutral approach to areas of support (e.g STLAs) leads to the withdrawal and reallocation of support from schools with a continuing need.

Workload continues to be a problem for teachers both in special education and integrated settings. Much of this is related to day-to-day care, assessments, preparation, individual learning programs and individual health plans and coordinating work with teachers' aides.

Matters being pursued by the Federation with the state political parties include:

(a) the restoration of special education class sizes to pre-2005 levels with the maintenance of an aide on each class

(b) secondary staffing supplementation for all SSPs with secondary age student enrolments

(c) the provision of additional teaching staff where necessary to ensure that teaching staff are always available to intervene in crisis situations

(d) inbuilt relief for ED/BD classes and schools, in recognition of the difficulties experienced in attracting appropriate casual relief

(e) additional school counsellor support for ED/BD schools and classes

(f) improvements in integration funding including full funding for transportation of all SSP students to and from their homes to the schools where integration takes place

(g) significant improvements to the provision of speech therapy and occupational therapy for special education students, including those integrated into mainstream classes(h) adequate provision of ED/BD classes in rural and remote settings

(i) the provision of special transport for all SSP students to and from their homes to respite cottages and to and from their respite cottages to school

The conference, which was organised by the Alliance, was an extraordinary success. More than 500 people attended and listened to speakers of international renown talking of the critical importance of a properly resourced public education system to a healthy democracy.

As the speakers' papers become available, they will be posted on the Cornerstones website.

The communique identifies five key priorities. In summary, these are free, public preschool education; additional targeted resources for smaller classes and specialist programs in years 7 and 8; greater support for children with identified needs; preparing and supporting future generations of teachers and existing teachers and maintenance and capital works programs conducive to effective teaching and learning in the 21st century.

NSW public school teachers continue to reject any attempt by federal and state governments to impose educationally unsound student reports.

In January 2008 all schools were provided with a leaflet with further advice on student reports.

The leaflet advises that Federation's ban remains in place and upholds the right to professional decision making.

There is a set of questions and answers which may help school staffs to make decisions about what their school should do as well as a table listing Federation's advice on each of the Department of Education and Training's requirements.

See news story below for link

A new website has been launched to help students balance the competing demands of full time study and part time work.

The Students@Work website has sections aimed at students, teachers, parents and employers, because they all have an important role to play in helping students achieve the right balance.

There are many interactive tools for use, particularly by students. A CV Maker is provided that will take students through a step-by-step process to producing a professional image. A web-based calendaring tool called the "Time Tamer" can be used by students to plan their time.

Students who need extra help in planning their work/study load can invite parents and teachers to view their calendars.

NSW Attorney General, Robert Debus MP, and NSW Solicitor General, Michael Sexton SC, addressed the conference.

The success of the Federations Pro Rata Case resulted in significant benefits flowing to Part Time Casuals teaching at least 10 hours per week, and the creation of many TAFE Temporary Teacher positions since July 2005.

In negotiations around the the TAFE Temporary - Conditions of Employment Policy the Department agreed that " Where it is proposed to extend a TAFE Temporary Teacher position beyond two years from the date of its creation, Institutes should consider whether there is a need to create a permanent TAFE Teacher position (instead of extending the TAFE Temporary Teacher position)." The Department also agreed that programs of 19 hours or more for 12 weeks or more should not be disaggregated.

The Federation wrote to the Minister for Education & Training, Carmel Tebbutt on 30 June 2006 around the conversion to permanency of TAFE Temporary Teachers and other educational staff such Education Officers. The Federation has asked the Minister to support the development of an instrument such as a change to the Act, Regulations or an industrial agreement which would allow such educational employees to seek conversion to permanency after two years consistent with section 31 of the Public Sector Employment & Management Act.

This would mean that temporary educational employees would have the same right to seek conversion to permanency as other Public Sector Employees including TAFE administrative and support staff.

In a response dated 28 August 2006, Minister Tebbutt expressed sympathy with the Federations proposal, but has referred the matter to the Department to investigate the implications.

Members are encouraged to send the attached letter on conversion to permanency to Minister Tebbutt, Premier Iemma and local State Member of Parliament.

The Federation will be holding a campaign course TAFE Permaneny Campaign on 29th September 2006. Members interested in particpating or being involved in the campaign should contact Linda Simon TAFE Teachers Association Secretary on 92172310.