What now for restructured school support?

Further cuts to administrative and other support that are still to be felt in schools and colleges, writes DAVID FERGUSON.

Is the restructure over and what impact will it have on our work in schools and colleges? While the reduced school consultancy support is largely (though not fully) in place across the state, there are further cuts to administrative and other support that are still to be felt in schools and colleges.

The impact on school support positions is certainly less than when Federation began to campaign against the cuts over eight months ago. The stated and feared loss of 300 teaching positions was reduced to about 80. Members in schools, state office units and district offices are to be congratulated for their activism in opposing the Department of Education and Training's (DET's) restructure. This is particularly so for those who faced up to the pressure placed on individuals by certain senior DET officers to not engage in the Department's self-declared 'consultation' process.

Federation and members across the state have restated their support for the value of the work of consultants, officers and advisers to schools. There are some key practical steps that principals, school executive and other teachers must now take to avoid an undermining of the importance of having public school teachers providing the support that their colleagues working in classrooms deserve.

Firstly, schools should vigorously oppose any action by the DET which would bring about a shifting of consultancy support costs from the Department to individual school budgets. This could occur if the DET suggested in any way that a school would have to pay for support which prior to the restructure would have been available via their district office or state programs. Newly imposed fees for training and development and release time for staff should be opposed. When schools eventually receive the increased professional development funds that the Government has promised for this year, we must not allow this support money to be given by one hand only to be taken by another. The money should primarily be used to provide time for teachers to plan and participate in school-based and inter-school training and development activities.

Secondly, teachers must oppose any defacto privatisation of the consultancy which would be brought about by the use of consultants external to DET to provide training and development or other services. Support in our public schools should be provided by Departmental employees who are committed to the enhancement of public education, not by private providers profiting from the public purse.

Thirdly, there are aspects of Department operations where school teachers and administrative staff may discover that, as a result of the overall job cuts (in the vicinity of 1000 positions), the understaffing impacts adversely on the efficient operation of schools. We must ensure that there is no increase to the burden on schools and colleges as a result of the Carr Government's under-funding of public education. If it used to be done by the Department, refer it to your 'local' regional office to deal with.

David Ferguson is a City Organiser.

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