Protecting the high standard of public education in NSW

Unanimous support...Kempsey teachers at the Sky Channel meeting at the local RSL.

Teachers take action to protect the quality of students' education.

Teachers in public schools in the Macleay Valley joined teachers across the state on April 8 to attend Sky Channel meetings about the staffing dispute.

The Government is refusing to renew the staffing agreement between the Federation and the DET that has been in place for many years.

The agreement guarantees that every student in NSW, including those in remote and less popular regions, is taught by a suitably qualified teacher

Macleay River Teachers Association President Grant Lee reminded the Kempsey meeting that this dispute was not what teachers wanted.

"The Teachers Federation remains ready to negotiate with the Government. We prefer to cooperate, but the Government and DET have refused to negotiate at all," he said.

At the Macleay meetings teachers voted unanimously to join a statewide strike for 24 hours on May 22 if the Government continued to refuse to negotiate.

They also voted unanimously to take local industrial action as the ramifications of the DET's policies impact students' education in Macleay Valley schools.

"Regrettably, parents and students can expect disruption in the months ahead if teachers are forced to fight to protect the high standard of public education in NSW," Mr Lee said.

"It would be a shame if the Government continued to refuse to talk to educators about these educational matters."

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Last Modified: 08 May 2008