Federal Government’s chains emerge

By Maree O’Halloran

The Federal Government's belief in competition and individualism lies at the heart of the chains it's wrapping around public education. Ranking students against each other, ranking schools according to mass test data and individual employment contracts for teachers are all part of this philosophy.

The Federal Government's continued use of the funding lever as a mechanism to drive unsound educational policy must be challenged. The spectacle last week of the new Premier, Morris Iemma, announcing reports cards for primary and infants children which rank each child across their age cohort in quartiles for six key learning areas demonstrates that the State Government intends to do little to oppose the Federal Government. It's time for the union to create and lead a community debate about teaching and learning, assessment and reporting and education that is in the best interests of students.

Federation supports clear, concise and informative reporting to parents. Indeed it was at the Federation's instigation that the Eltis Review was conducted and the reporting system examined. Unfortunately, the streamlined report template being developed in NSW was hijacked by the Federal Government's obsession with ranking even the very young. This mirrors the Federal Government's insistence on the publication in annual school reports of staff attendance data, and statewide test results which could result in media-constructed "league tables".

On both matters of professional concern, the union has taken collective action. The matter of the annual school report is still in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. On the issue of student report cards, the Federation will develop a campaign to influence every school community to oppose the educationally-unsound aspects of the reports.

Prime Minister John Howard said of Bob Carr's legacy: "I think the interest he's taken in education...is very similar to some of the views that I have.

"I nonetheless note that many of his attempts in that area have been frustrated by the teachers' union which [is] amongst the most ideologically based in the country." (AAP, July 7)

What the Prime Minister means, of course, is that we don't agree with him.

Federation opposes the Howard Government's agenda in education and industrial relations. Federation has for years campaigned to increase funding to public education and for special support for public comprehensive education. The combined policies of the federal and state governments have resulted in a dysfunctional funding regime (as noted in the report of NSW Government's Public Education Council) and the creation of hierarchies of schools. Both policies need to be changed if the future of public education is to remain optimistic. On July 13 this year the Sydney Morning Herald editorialised:

"The State Government has tried to attract parents back with more selective schools and opportunity classes for the ambitious. But the result in secondary education is an ungainly three-tier system. Selective schools for the brightest or most driven, private schools for those who can afford them, and comprehensive students to the rest...Public comprehensive education is being allowed to fail."

The funding shortfall is, in fact, the reason for Federation's ban on the Year 10 Computer Skills Assessment Test and trial. Schools are reporting that they lack the fundamental equipment, support and technicians to ensure every student has an opportunity to perform at their best.

The Federal Government's emphasis on individual rather than collective bargaining in industrial relations is intended to ensure that strong, vocal unions like the Federation are contained to salary and working conditions negotiations. This lessens the opportunities for teachers' united voices to be heard in the education policy and social justice debates in this country.

Australia is facing a skills shortage. The Prime Minister has used this very argument as the reason why employers need greater bargaining power. The Howard Government's other response to the skills crisis is the quick fix of importing skills and rebadging private schools as "Australian Technical Colleges" and providing them with more government funding. Meanwhile, there has been a decline in training activity between 2003 and 2004. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research shows that the number of students in training fell by 7.1 per cent from 2003 to 2004 and the total number of hours of teaching delivery also fell by 2.6 percent.

The last Association Life Membership dinner I attended was held in the restaurant of the local TAFE college and the TAFE teachers and students ensured a great night. The night, as with all such nights, resounded with camaraderie and the history of the union. At 10.30pm when we left the restaurant, the TAFE teacher was still working, using the opportunity to debrief the TAFE students and provide instruction. This commitment epitomises the quality work in TAFE.

It is TAFE, however, that has taken the first hit from the Federal Government in their industrial relations war against employees. Federal funding in TAFE is now tied to the offering of Australian Workplace Agreements or other individual contracts to every TAFE employee.

Federation congratulates the TAFE Teachers Association members who spent three days in Canberra meeting with 51 MPs and Senators in an effort to have the bill opposed. Federation has also met with the State Government to discuss legal challenges to the new law and legal protection for members.

Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) have also surfaced in our public schools. Teachers supervising student teacher "practicums" have been sent AWAs by the university employer. These should be rejected.

ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said to our Annual Conference: "What on earth have people done to deserve this? Not one thing. Not one thing."

Teachers, like many in the community, are working longer and harder. The University of Queensland recently listed teaching as one of the five most stressful jobs.

The Federal Government's taxation-financed advertisements have been roundly criticised by the Clerk of the Senate, Harry Evans because a Bill has not even entered Parliament yet.

Furthermore, the Government's advertisements are clearly intended to mislead. Boeing workers at the RAAF base at Williamtown have been on strike over the right to be on a collective agreement. The Government has said in advertisements that it would "preserve the rights of workers to have a union negotiate a collective agreement if they wish". Regardless, the Prime Minister has backed the Boeing Company's refusal to negotiate a collective agreement with some of its workers.

The Federal Government is misleading the Australian public about the aim and extent of the proposed changes. It must be exposed.

Boeing workers expose AWA threat

IR changes 'bad for children'

Shame file

Words sidestep the real issue

Unions NSW bus on tour

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August 2005 contents