[Greens-Media] Della's staffing experiment spells disaster for public education

[John Kaye]

Della's staffing experiment spells disaster for public education
 
Media Release: 8 April 2008
 
Parents should blame NSW Education Minister John Della Bosca for forcing teachers to take industrial action to defend public education from his dangerous scheme in staff selection, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: "It appears this is another Iemma government train wreck, where a policy announcement has been made before it was thought through.
 
"Minister Della Bosca's scheme will undermine the right of all students in public education to be taught by qualified staff.
 
"The current system rewards teachers who spend time in the harder to staff schools. It gives them first dibs on the more desirable posts after they have accumulated enough points.
 
"The Iemma government's proposals would allow some teachers to jump into the more popular locations ahead of their colleagues who have spent time in the state's West and in tougher schools.
 
"Some teachers would be able to use Minister Della Bosca's 'open advertising' process to secure positions at desirable schools. They will have no incentive to earn transfer points at the harder to staff schools.
 
"John Della Bosca has responsibility to ensure all schools have quality staff. He is playing favourites by setting public schools against each other.
 
"Neither the Minister nor his Director general have been teachers. They are displaying an alarming ignorance of the complexities of the transfer system.
 
"If the Iemma government had spent more time talking to teachers about their scheme before rushing into action, they would have realised this is a recipe for dividing public education and undermining outcomes for students in disadvantaged communities. 
 
"The Greens congratulate teachers and their union for standing up for all children in public education. 
 
"We will be raising this issue in parliament this week, calling on Minister Della Bosca to accept the Teachers Federation's offer to return to the negotiating table," Dr Kaye said. 
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455 
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000