Latest news with #StateSchoolTeachers'UnionWA
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Education minister promises to reduce WA teachers' workload in first major speech
Western Australia's new education minister has used her first speech in the role to call for better support for teachers and a reduction in workload, outlining the issues as a key priority for the government. Sabine Winton told the State School Teachers' Union WA state council conference on Friday afternoon that while teachers championed their students, they needed to be championed too. Her speech comes on the back of the union's State of Schools survey, which revealed workload, burnout and a lack of respect for the teaching profession were the key reasons eight out of 10 respondents considered quitting over the past four years. The survey indicated 10 per cent of teachers were working more than 60 hours per week, 26 per cent more than 50 hours, and 36 per cent more than 40 hours per week. Key influences on workload included managing student behaviour, preparing for lessons, reporting and assessments, dealing with students' mental health challenges and meetings. Worry around teacher shortages was also raised, with many saying covering for the shortage through internal relief had compromised their ability to reach the teaching standards they aspired to, and impacted their mental health. Another concern was schools using teachers who were not fully qualified to fill the gaps. In her speech, Winton, who has 27 years' experience as a teacher herself, said she felt the weight of expectation and responsibility that came with being education minister, which 'keeps me up at night'. 'What I will commit to you today is that, as minister, I will apply a filter to every initiative, asking how it will make tangible differences to teachers in the classroom,' she said.
The Age
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Education minister promises to reduce WA teachers' workload in first major speech
Western Australia's new education minister has used her first speech in the role to call for better support for teachers and a reduction in workload, outlining the issues as a key priority for the government. Sabine Winton told the State School Teachers' Union WA state council conference on Friday afternoon that while teachers championed their students, they needed to be championed too. Her speech comes on the back of the union's State of Schools survey, which revealed workload, burnout and a lack of respect for the teaching profession were the key reasons eight out of 10 respondents considered quitting over the past four years. The survey indicated 10 per cent of teachers were working more than 60 hours per week, 26 per cent more than 50 hours, and 36 per cent more than 40 hours per week. Key influences on workload included managing student behaviour, preparing for lessons, reporting and assessments, dealing with students' mental health challenges and meetings. Worry around teacher shortages was also raised, with many saying covering for the shortage through internal relief had compromised their ability to reach the teaching standards they aspired to, and impacted their mental health. Another concern was schools using teachers who were not fully qualified to fill the gaps. In her speech, Winton, who has 27 years' experience as a teacher herself, said she felt the weight of expectation and responsibility that came with being education minister, which 'keeps me up at night'. 'What I will commit to you today is that, as minister, I will apply a filter to every initiative, asking how it will make tangible differences to teachers in the classroom,' she said.
The Age
02-06-2025
- Politics
- The Age
‘Stark' figures reveal hundreds of WA teachers burned out and resigned in 2024
More than 1200 West Australian public school teachers resigned in 2024, new figures show, with nearly 20 per cent of those citing high levels of stress and the resulting burnout as a key reason. The latest figures, revealed in parliament last week, showed 230 teachers called out those problems in their departmental exit surveys. This was out of a total 672 resignations from public primary schools, and 547 from public secondary schools. Opposition education spokesman Liam Staltari said the new figures showed teacher resignations had more than doubled between 2019 and 2024. 'The fact that 230 of these teachers cited stress or burnout as a major factor in their decision to resign in 2024 certainly reflects feedback I've had from those at the coal face,' he said. 'Teachers and principals do amazing work every day, but sadly on this government's watch the risks of burnout are growing, as these stark figures highlight. 'The government must step up and help them handle the high workload and stress of the complex modern classroom.' State School Teachers' Union WA president Matt Jarman said the increase in resignations since 2022 reflected deep systemic issues that had been developing over more than a decade. 'Public school teachers in WA have been subject to declining real-term funding, increased administrative and behavioural complexity in the classroom, and a substantial rise in workload intensity,' he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Stark' figures reveal hundreds of WA teachers burned out and resigned in 2024
More than 1200 West Australian public school teachers resigned in 2024, new figures show, with nearly 20 per cent of those citing high levels of stress and the resulting burnout as a key reason. The latest figures, revealed in parliament last week, showed 230 teachers called out those problems in their departmental exit surveys. This was out of a total 672 resignations from public primary schools, and 547 from public secondary schools. Opposition education spokesman Liam Staltari said the new figures showed teacher resignations had more than doubled between 2019 and 2024. 'The fact that 230 of these teachers cited stress or burnout as a major factor in their decision to resign in 2024 certainly reflects feedback I've had from those at the coal face,' he said. 'Teachers and principals do amazing work every day, but sadly on this government's watch the risks of burnout are growing, as these stark figures highlight. 'The government must step up and help them handle the high workload and stress of the complex modern classroom.' State School Teachers' Union WA president Matt Jarman said the increase in resignations since 2022 reflected deep systemic issues that had been developing over more than a decade. 'Public school teachers in WA have been subject to declining real-term funding, increased administrative and behavioural complexity in the classroom, and a substantial rise in workload intensity,' he said.
