A threat to sack thousands of school staff, claims students are being “indoctrinated” and a touted takeover of the national curriculum – this is how the Coalition has opened its federal election campaign.
IEU Federal Secretary Brad Hayes said IEU members and families in our school communities rightly expect the election campaign to focus on delivering a world-class education system.
“However, the public debate has already degenerated into teacher bashing and the lazy politics of education blame games,” Brad said.
“The complex challenges in schools and early childhood education require an expert, professional dialogue free from partisan attacks.
“Sadly, the public comments this week seem designed to ignite ugly cultural wars for political benefit, at the cost of well-considered education policies,” he said.
Education cuts simplistic, short-sighted
Brad said the idea thousands of jobs could be cut from the Education Department without impacting school operations is fanciful.
“While the IEU does not represent departmental staff, their work has a direct impact on the operation of non-government schools and early childhood education,” he said.
“The department oversees $19.1 billion dollars of funding to non-government schools every year.
“For the first time, the department is applying work impact tests to all Better and Fairer Schools reforms and has been collaborating with the IEU to find new ways to clarify and reduce teacher workload.
“Positive changes will require adequate staffing and resourcing not only in schools, but also in the department overseeing and funding the reforms,” Brad said.
Teachers are not political punching bags
Brad labelled the Coalition’s remarks this week as “an unwelcome return to the dark days of teacher bashing”.
“Rather than focusing on unfounded claims of ‘indoctrination’ in universities and schools, the federal opposition should be talking with the profession about how we can better support graduate teachers…and retain our next generation of teachers.
“These are the discussions that need to happen, not unnecessary and inflammatory distractions,” he said.
