New culture or old agendas?

By Jennifer Leete

Staff in the Minister's office and in the Department of Education and Training (DET) are often heard to refer to a "new culture" which is allegedly being promoted throughout the DET. Any DET officer who is seen to be "old culture" is likely to miss out on merit promotion. Those who are to be chosen for senior executive service positions are recruited by Ministerial appointees who are charged with achieving "cultural shift" in the "organisation". The buzz words and New Age management-speak which forms part of this new culture is quite something. Language is turned around for the purpose of putting a positive spin on any announcement and any problem. Crises and problems become "opportunities" or at worst "challenges". Having to make tough decisions about cutting programs is referred to as "exciting" and loading principals with extra work and responsibility without additional resources is called "enhancing" roles for principals. Politically driven agendas to be imposed on schools are called "initiatives".

And all this is occurring in a department which was allegedly restructured to make it more responsive to the needs of schools.

In reality, it is grounded in contempt for schools and teachers and a view that only the DET and the Government know what change is required.

The agenda articulated by Minister Andrew Refshauge in his June 30 press release was dressed up in language like that used above. In reality there was nothing new about it. These ideas and tactics are hardly original. They have been copied from conservative governments and right wing ALP governments in other parts of Australia and the United Kingdom. Think Jeff Kennett, Terry Metherell, Nick Greiner and Tony Blair.

It is no coincidence that there have been recent announcements in Western Australia about putting principals on contracts and proposals in the United Kingdom to make schools more "flexible" and diversified.

Federation is not opposed to local flexibility. Such flexibility, however, must come with additional resourcing so that core provision is not put at risk.

The union is also not opposed to the expanded use of technology to improve existing systems in schools and across the public education system. The introduction of such technology, however, must be negotiated with Federation to ensure that technology systems genuinely meet the needs of schools, reduce workload, and improve efficiency. Technological solutions also require proper infrastructure, training and most importantly the provision of technical support to schools. Federation Senior Officers have raised the issue of inadequate technology support in schools on numerous occasions with Director-General Andrew Cappie-Wood and Dr Refshauge. They have failed to provide an adequate response.

The union will oppose fixed term appointments or contracts for principals and other teaching staff and will oppose changes to the Teaching Services Act which do not acknowledge the knowledge, skills and capacity of the existing 60,000 strong teaching service. Federation will continue its campaign, in conjunction with other appropriate groups, to defeat this agenda. When considered in combination with the imposition of a draconian "Code of Conduct" these proposals by the Government represent an attempt to create a compliant teaching service which is subject to political direction and control.

Occupational health and safety (OH&S) provides the best example of the use of the devolution tactic to pass down the blame for major failures of the system. DET and the Minister have been concerned for some time that they are unable to meet their responsibilities under the OH&S Act. We know, for example, that in October 2003, Minister Refshauge wrote to Industrial Relations Minister John Della Bosca and asked him to change the Act for this reason. Della Bosca refused. Now the Minister has hit upon a different tactic -- hand the responsibility down to principals. Federation will resist this to ensure that members in principal positions are not put at risk and that DET accepts its own obligations.

Meanwhile, whilst the Government and DET dusts off its tired old agendas for another bash of the teaching service there are critical issues which confront public education. The anti-public education funding policies of the Federal Government is one.

The institutionalised social and educational disadvantage of our indigenous students, as evidence by a huge achievement gap between our indigenous and non-indigenous students, is another. DET has been conducting an extensive review of its Aboriginal education policy. This has involved extensive consultation with teachers, parents and Aboriginal community members across the state. The review has been conducted in partnership with the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and Federation has been extensively involved. A great deal of goodwill has been invested in the process. Unfortunately, Federation's Annual Conference heard some worrying reports about the directions taken in some draft recommendations. The final recommendations of DET's Aboriginal Education Review will soon be released. Let's hope that this leads to genuine strategies to address disadvantage without being terminated by political opportunism.

Jennifer Leete is the Acting President.

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August 2004 contents