Workload bans remain in place

Several bans remain in place, writes JENNIFER LEETE.

Federation members are reminded that bans remain in place on the Department of Education and Training's Internet Services and Products (ISP) or Web Services Project, e-LAPS (the proposed electronic leave approval system), and the construction of portfolios of student work for reporting purposes.

In relation to e-LAPS, DET has continued to distribute letters containing e-LAPS passwords out to schools. Members who have received these should keep them unopened, in a safe place.

E-LAPS is part of the Government's unilateral agenda to devolve greater responsibility and blame onto school principals whilst undermining their security of employment, through fixed term appointments. The Government's unilateral agenda also includes changing the role of principals in relation to teachers' leave and occupational health and safety.

DET is attempting to implement e-LAPS without proper consultation, despite serious concerns about workload, confidentiality of employee details and resourcing.

Since the e-LAPS ban commenced, discussions have taken place between DET and Federation. These discussions have not resolved the issue.

DET's Internet Services and Products (ISP) or Web Services Project includes the so-called e-learning or teacher and student email accounts. This has been banned by Federation because of DET's failure to address issues including the inadequacy of technology support in schools, as well as the lack of protocols regarding privacy, workload, child protection and security. DET has also failed to provide for a proper training and development strategy for teachers. The Department's current plan is to produce a CD-ROM for each teacher. On the matter of technology support, or lack of it, in schools, one of the reasons given for the delay in the computer rollout which was supposed to occur in February, was that DET was attempting to negotiate a deal which included technology support with the provision of the computer hardware -- none of this has yet materialised.

Federation has become aware that technicians involved with web services have been approaching schools to get access to the schools computers for the purpose of reconfiguring the computers and installing software for web services. This is in breach of Federation's bans. In a number of cases this has occurred through surreptitious means and the Federation Representative has not become aware of it until the technicians have left the school.

Members should also be on alert to the fact that some schools may have been "volunteered" to be part of the statewide rollout without the knowledge or approval of the staff -- this, is in the context that the DET has offered "inducements" such as extra casual relief days beyond those which were offered to the pilot schools. In a number of schools Federation meetings have had to be convened for the purpose of demanding that the schools be withdrawn from the project. All members need to be on alert on these issues.

Jennifer Leete is the Deputy President.

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