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Ending the teacher shortage
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The Teachers Federation says a recent wage agreement it struck with the Minns Government will help replenish teacher numbers , as alarming new statistics show public schools are confronting a shortage of 3,000 casual teachers each day .
NSW Teachers Federation acting President Henry Rajendra said : “ Regrettably , this data comes as no surprise . The teacher shortage in NSW public schools is a direct consequence of the former government ’ s wage cap that artificially suppressed teachers ’ pay . The wage cap made the profession less attractive .
“ Worse still , and adding to the unattractiveness of the profession , is unmanageable teacher workloads due to the policies of the previous government . The situation was so bad that resignation rates outpaced retirements .”
A survey released today by the NSW Education Department shows almost 10,000 lessons every day have inadequate teaching due to a 42 per cent shortfall in
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the number of casual teachers available to cover classes .
In the state ’ s primary schools , 40 per cent of the lessons were unable to be covered by a casual teacher resulting in merged or collapsed classes . In high schools , students in nearly 30 per cent of uncovered classes were left with minimal supervision .
An agreement struck between the Teachers Federation and the Minns Government will take effect this week and is one important measure to end the shortage by attracting and retaining the teachers we need . The starting salary for a NSW teacher will increase from $ 75,791 to $ 85,000 and the salary for a top of the scale teacher will increase from $ 113,042 to $ 122,100 . All teachers will move to a new higher paying step , including casual teachers .
“ Our historic agreement with the Minns Government will take effect this week . By paying teachers what they are worth , expanding the pool of teachers
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available , whether they are casual , permanent , at the early stages of their career or highly experienced , we can begin to reverse the damage done ,” Mr Rajendra said .
“ Casual teacher rates have been adjusted upwards meaning a typical casual teacher will now take home much higher pay than they would have previously .
“ However , more work is needed to address the unmanageable and unsustainable workloads of teachers in order to make the profession attractive once again . We will continue to engage with the government on this matter .
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“ The wages agreement we have struck is critical to rebuilding the teaching workforce . Teachers have fought for it because they believe in their students ’ right to access a quality public education and the transformative power of the profession .”
[ Courtesy of NSW Teachers Federation ]
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Western Sydney University Planting 30,000 Trees at Hawkesbury Campus
Western Sydney University is partnering with Creating Canopies to
Western Sydney University students planting at Hawkesbury Campus with Greater Sydney Landcare ’ s Creating Canopies team . Photo : Greater Sydney Landcare . plant 30,000 new native trees on the grounds of its Hawkesbury Campus over the next three years .
The first planting was held on Saturday 21st October . Students traded textbooks and lecture theatres for gardening gloves and the great outdoors , installing 2,000 plants on the day .
A further 7,000 trees will be planted at Western Sydney University in the coming weeks to bring its total number of new trees planted in 2023 to 10,000 .
The Department of Planning and Environment ’ s Executive Director , Resilience and Urban Sustainability , Steve Hartley , said adding 30,000 trees will help communities better cope with extreme heat and rising temperatures from climate change .
“ Growing our urban tree canopy reduces land surface temperatures , provides cleaner air and improves the local habitat for native birds ,” Mr Hartley said .
The tree planting is an important part of the University ’ s wide-ranging sustainability initiatives as showcased in its decadal strategy , Sustainability and Resilience 2030 .
“ We are delighted to partner with Greater Sydney Landcare on this treeplanting program . This is a significant step in Western Sydney University ’ s ongoing journey towards becoming nature positive by 2029 and testament to our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship ,” said Professor Barney Glover AO , Vice Chancellor and President .
The University recently reached its ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2023 . It was also named number one in the world for its social , economic , and environmental impact two years in a row in the prestigious Times Higher Education Impact Rankings . Professor Glover said planting more trees on campus helps tackle the challenges of urban heat and aligns with the University ’ s vision for a thriving Western Sydney region .
“ We are pleased to work hand-in-hand with our local communities to lead the way in driving climate action and help create a more sustainable and resilient future for all ,” he said .
Greater Sydney Landcare is running these tree-planting events as part of its Creating Canopies project , which is proudly funded by the NSW Government . The project will deliver 200,000 trees by the end of 2025 to help mitigate urban heat in Greater Sydney .
Danielle Packer , Creating Canopies Project Manager for Greater Sydney Landcare , said , “ Greater Sydney Landcare is proud to partner with Western Sydney University in their environmental initiatives and to create canopies in Greater Sydney .”
“ Partners like Western Sydney University are invaluable — they provide the spaces for greening , and in this case an army of willing tree planters , which is fabulous !” Ms Packer said .
“ Greater Sydney Landcare brings to the table the expertise of our bush regenerators and ecologists to say what locally native species would be appropriate at each site .
“ We also source the plants , prepare the sites for planting , and run the planting days by providing the tools and training the volunteers . We don ’ t just plant and run either — we undertake follow up maintenance to ensure the highest possible survival rate for these plantings .
“ Creating Canopies is about partnering with private and public landowners and volunteers to plant 200,000 locally native trees across Greater Sydney by the end of 2025 .
“ By planting trees that will grow to three metres and above and prioritising our planting in local government areas of Sydney with less than 30 per cent canopy cover , we ’ ll help mitigate urban heat . These trees will grow to provide shade and cooling for our city in the years to come .”
For more information , visit greatersydneylandcare . org .
30 ISSUE 162 // NOVEMBER 2023 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT