Teacher Recruitment

Published on: November 2021

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-120399


Teacher Recruitment

Ms PRUE CAR (Londonderry) (17:14:18):

New South Wales has had the privilege to witness first-hand the incredible work of teachers during the challenges presented by remote learning this year. In my electorate of Londonderry, teachers have certainly gone above and beyond to keep students engaged and are now working hard to help those who may need assistance to get back on track. Students, parents and teachers alike have been so happy to return to face-to-face learning; remote learning is just not the same. But, on the other side of our of education system, this Government's mismanagement is threating the future of a strong New South Wales education system. Teacher shortages have ballooned under 11 years of Liberal mismanagement. The truth is we are seeing more merged classes and more classes being taught out of area.

In some parts of New South Wales, one in five students are being taught maths by teachers with no maths qualifications. It is no surprise that gaps are growing in student outcomes. It is affecting all our communities. It is affecting my community and communities across the growing suburbs in outer western Sydney. Every student in every school deserves to have a qualified teacher in front of them, but that is not what we are seeing under this Liberal Government. It does not stop there. Schools across New South Wales are being squeezed because the State Government has not trained enough New South Wales teachers. Teachers are consistently raising this with me; they know it is an issue. Principals are raising it with me; they know it is an issue. Parents are raising it with me; they know it is an issue.

What about the education Minister? Earlier this year she called the teacher shortages a "beat-up". But the truth can only stay hidden for so long. She called teacher shortages in New South Wales a "beat-up" after being told last year that the State already had a shortage of 710 teachers in maths and technology alone. These shortages are hitting STEM subjects—the crucial disciplines we need to train our children in—particularly hard. Without enough STEM teachers, our students will not be learning crucial skills for the jobs of the future. It is no wonder New South Wales no longer leads the world like we used to when it comes to reading, maths and science—something we should not be proud of. It is no wonder that schools in western Sydney, like those in my electorate of Londonderry, are struggling in these areas.

Under the Liberals, we have teacher shortages that are leaving students without maths and science teachers, and Ministers who ignored the growing shortages and then tried to cover them up. Now we have taxpayers paying for overseas teachers with no Australian curriculum experience to be flown in to try to fill the critical teacher shortages. We are seeing the impact of a Liberal Government that is just not doing its job. We are seeing the impact of a Liberal Government that cannot get the basics right. We are seeing the cracks that emerge when we fail to invest in the future of our State and our children. New South Wales needs teacher shortages filled by qualified teachers—qualified teachers who are paid and treated fairly. Across the State, in communities like mine, parents and teachers alike are calling for this Liberal Government to admit its mistakes, admit it is not a "beat-up" and fix this teacher shortage now.

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (17:18:38):

I thank the member for Londonderry for her contribution to the subject of education. This being the first week of the HSC examinations, I acknowledge the impact of the COVID restrictions on our students, our teachers and our families across the State. I particularly note that when Labor was in government it closed 90 schools and 20 TAFEs, and I remind the House that this Government is currently playing catch-up for the education failures of the Labor Opposition during 16 years in government.

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