As Education Minister, Sarah Mitchell was in Taree earlier today, Wednesday, May 4 announcing funds for childcare centres, hundreds of teachers from across the Manning, Great Lakes and Camden Haven attended a rally at Club Taree calling for the State government to invest in more teachers and better pay.
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The rally was part of a State-wide strike organised by the NSW Teachers Federation.
Some schools closed for the day, while others had minimal supervision for students, with staff walking off the job. In some cases, supportive school principals joined their staff at the rally.
Protesters spoke of chronic teacher shortages and crippling workloads, leading to a reduction in the quality of education and the resultant effects on children.
Wingham Teachers Association president, Sharon Middleton, talked of the lack of teacher numbers and casuals facing all schools.
"It means that classes are split. Sometimes we have multiple classrooms outside being supervised by a casual," she said.
"Children aren't learning, which means our community suffers.
"Children don't get that learning continuity, they don't get that drive to learn.
"I'm worried about it's going to mean for our future."
The three colleges in the Great Lakes; quite regularly there is one teacher to supervise 60 students out of the classroom, because there are just no rooms and teachers to support those kids, because we can't retain casuals in the area.
- Wallis Lakes Teachers Association president, Simon Maidment
Wallis Lakes Teachers Association president, Simon Maidment said teachers were being expected to maintain an "unmeasurable extra workload".
"The three colleges in the Great Lakes; quite regularly there is one teacher to supervise 60 students out of the classroom, because there are just no rooms and teachers to support those kids, because we can't retain casuals in the area," Mr Maidment said.
"It's regularly that the teachers are not getting their release from face to face (teaching), they need to cover sicknesses of other teachers," he said.
"Again it comes back to getting casual and permanent teachers into the area that are needed to ensure that students are getting a proper education.
"Stress is high, across all areas, and it's just becoming increasingly worse."
Camden Haven Teachers Association president, James Langley said the pool of casual teachers available to State schools was so limited small schools, in particular, were suffering.
He gave an example of one small school that could not get a casual teacher for an entire four week block, with remaining teachers forced to work an extra 27 hours a week.
"This is destroying the education of students in small schools, that's the kids from the bush getting hurt by teacher shortages," he said.
"Where is our National Party supposedly delivering for us?
"It's not happening.
"We need the National Party, If they really want to represent these seats, to get down there and start protecting small schools."
NSW Teachers Federation president, Angelo Gavrielatos said the NSW premier had failed students, their parents and the teaching profession.
"One of the most fundamental roles of a government is to ensure there is a qualified teacher in every classroom with the time and support to meet the needs of each child." he said.
"The simple truth is that if we don't pay teachers what they are worth and address crippling workloads we will not retain nor attract the teachers we know we need.
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Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
