Take part in vital new research on workload
1 December 2017
Section: News
All school-based members are urged to respond to a statewide survey on teachers work, to be distributed next February.
Hasten slowly and stay in charge
1 December 2017
Section: Columns
Many years ago, as a young teacher in the late 1970s, I read an article about Japan and mathematics teaching in relation to what was then new technology — the overhead projector. It may have been apocryphal, but I still found the story to be thought provoking. The article told of a local school district in Japan that had decided to replace, with unforeseen consequences, all the blackboards with overhead projectors complete with scrolling plastic film on which teachers were to write.
TAFE Enterprise Agreement Joint Communique
28 November 2017
Section: News
TAFE Enterprise Agreement Joint Communique
Election Notice – Executive
25 November 2017
Section: Administration
Nominations are called for the following offices: Branch Vice Presidents (4), Branch Custodians (2), Representative of members on the ATSI Members’ Roll (1), Association Representatives (8)
AEU calls for higher standards in teacher education
24 November 2017
Section: News
The Australian Education Union are recommending that initial teacher training be transitioned to a two-year postgraduate qualification, such as an undergraduate degree combined with a two-year teaching masters, after a survey of members showed that many teachers believed their education could have been more effective.
Central assessment process for selection of 35 principals in NSW public schools
17 November 2017
Section: News
Recently the NSW Department of Education advertised 35 principal positions that were all made available at one time due to the recruitment of principals for the new Director, Educational Leadership (DEL) positions.
Condolences and support to the Banksia Road PS community
7 November 2017
Section: News
Federation is shocked and saddened by the tragic incident at Banksia Road Public School today. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the families, teachers, classmates and community members affected by this event.
‘Productivity’ measures a serious risk to teacher training
31 October 2017
Section: News
The Australian Education Union has sounded a strong warning on potential Productivity Commission recommendations that could risk further undermining quality teaching by reducing the training required before teachers enter the classroom.
NSW Govt figures expose Federal funding failure
25 October 2017
Section: News
Today’s schools funding announcement by the NSW government confirms the $138 million dollar cut caused by the Turnbull government abandoning the Gonski funding model, said Federation President, Maurie Mulheron.
Federation joins call for rigorous review of Leading Learning 4 All resource
18 October 2017
Section: News
Prominent disability advocates, academics and organisations have penned an open letter to federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham regarding significant concerns about the Leading Learning 4 All (LL4All) resource, funded by the Commonwealth government and launched early this year.
Protect Kids from Robots and Canberra Bureaucrats
12 October 2017
Section: News
The Federal agency in charge of NAPLAN is rushing through with plans to have robots mark next year’s NAPLAN tests despite their justifications being discredited by world-leading research. Parents, teachers and principals have not been consulted about these radical plans and students have not been prepared for such a dramatic shift. NAPLAN has been a high-stakes and controversial test and this latest development will further bewilder youngsters who are subject to such testing.
International Day of the Girl Child
11 October 2017
Section: News
Wednesday 11 October is the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child
Vouchers won’t fix the TAFE system
11 October 2017
Section: News
Jennifer Westacott and the Business Council of Australia’s proposals for Education and Skills released at the National Press Club today are another disappointing suggestion that fails to recognise the very real issues facing vocational education in this country.
National Close the Gap Day
16 September 2017
Section: News
March 16 marks National Close the Gap Day, held to share information and take action in support of achieving Indigenous health equality by 2030. Last month, The Closing the Gap: Prime Minister’s Report 2017, gave a progress report about Closing the Gap targets on Indigenous health, employment and education.
OECD report
13 September 2017
Section: News
The latest OECD Education at a Glance 2017 report shows the Turnbull Government is spending less than the OECD average on public education, posing serious challenges for the low-growth trajectory of the Government’s schools funding plan, the Australian Education Union said. “With the report showing Australian Government spending at 3.9 per cent of GDP being less than the OECD average, there is no doubt that our schools are under-resourced,” Federal President of the AEU Correna Haythorpe said.
Federation calls for schools funding submission time-frame to be extended
12 September 2017
Section: News
NSW Teachers Federation has called on state and territory education ministers to roundly reject the four-week timeframe for submissions to the Gonski 2.0 review panel announced today by Education Minister Simon Birmingham. State and territory ministers will be gathering for the Australian Education Council meeting in Adelaide this Friday.
Schools need full, systemic support from the Department and the NSW Government
11 September 2017
Section: News
The news announced today of a NSW Government plan to put up $50 million to fund so-called Business Managers in schools is an acknowledgement that the policy called ‘Local Schools, Local Decisions’ has resulted in the loss of hundreds of administrative and support positions and created an unnecessary burden on schools, Federation President Maurie Mulheron said earlier today.
Equal Pay Day 2017 – 4 September, 2017
4 September 2017
Section: News
This year, Equal Pay Day is Monday, 4 September. Equal Pay Day is calculated to mark the additional time from the end of the financial year that women must work to earn the same as men.
Protest against trade deal that’s bad for people and the planet — 28 August
28 August 2017
Section: News
Federation officers will join concerned citizens for a rally opposing plans by the Turnbull government to sign a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement, on Monday 28 August. Earlier this year, the United States withdrew from TPP negotiations. Now, the 11 other countries involved in the talks, including Australia, are attempting to reach a deal without the US.
Van Badham reminds teachers why it’s so wonderful to be a teacher and a unionist
28 August 2017
Section: News
A teacher’s ability to inspire students and community members was the subject of a presentation by writer, feminist, activist and self-proclaimed troublemaker Van Badham at Federation’s Women’s Conference said on Saturday.
Conference to address issues and campaigns that relate the women as educators
26 August 2017
Section: News
Women members of Federation are gathering in the union’s auditorium in Surry Hills this morning for a day of presentations and workshops aimed at supporting them in their classrooms, workplaces and communities. Conference participants will have the opportunity to attend two workshop sessions. Topics include: