Failed staffing policies resurrected

By Angelo Gavrielatos

Federation continues to receive reports of at least one senior departmental officer continuing to undermine the spirit and principles of the staffing agreement.

The continued undermining of the terms and principles of the staffing agreement represents a hostile act. They are a sign of bad faith on the part of the Government and Department of Education and Training (DET) with respect to future negotiations around the staffing agreement.

Resurrecting the failed policies of the early 1990s and Jeff Kennett's Victoria, recent reports suggest that Deputy Director-General Schools Trevor Fletcher is advocating the absolute devolution of staffing through devolving staffing budgets to schools.

When DET last attempted this in 1992 through the discredited Your School's Right to Choose discussion paper, this proposal was roundly rejected by the NSW education community.

The proposal would allow the "cashing in" of teaching positions, allowing them potentially to be replaced by teachers aides, and the potential loss of educational leadership positions and career paths through the abolition of deputy principal, assistant principal and head teacher positions. Class sizes would increase and educational expertise would be lost. The curriculum guarantee would be compromised.

The proposal which would allow for the loss of teaching positions and positions of educational leadership makes a mockery of the NSW Government's repeatedly stated commitment to academic rigour in our classrooms.

Those who seek to advocate this position suggesting that it is a prerequisite for improved educational outcomes need look no further than Victoria.

During Kennett's reign in Victoria school staffing budgets were devolved to the school level. Disciples of Kennett's Victoria should know that this has not led to improvements in educational outcomes for, if it had, Victoria would have been outstripping the rest of the nation in terms of educational achievement by students.

As has been previously reported, proposals to dismantle the staffing system in NSW and the devolution of staffing budgets to schools would make an absolute mockery of the pre-election commitments and statements by then NSW Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt and the commitment given by Minister Della Bosca to the State Council of the NSW Teachers Federation with respect to upcoming negotiations around a staffing agreement.

The statewide staffing agreement is essential in ensuring the appointment of teachers in every school across the state and therefore a curriculum guarantee for all students.

Research shows that NSW has enjoyed relative stability in staffing and is in a better position than other states, such as Victoria, to deal with the effect of teacher shortages.

The loss of a statewide staffing system would mean the loss of equity, stability and tenure.

Angelo Gavrielatos is the Deputy President.

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September 2007 contents