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- 12 October 2000
Tenterfield High School
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Page: 9183
The Hon. JENNIFER GARDINER [5.37 p.m.]: I draw to the attention of the House some major problems at the Tenterfield High School, on the Northern Tablelands, particularly the shortage in teacher numbers and class sizes. Problems have arisen due to a shortage of trained teachers, both permanent and casual, at the school. The consequences have been, for example, that the head teachers have been forced to increase their loads and take on extra responsibilities, such as playground duty. The deputy principal has been forced to cover extra classes and, in the second term an average of five classes a week have been covered by other staff at the school or not covered at all. At one point the science classes had eight different teachers, which is unsettling for the students and of concern to the parents of students. In term two 33 senior classes were not covered by teachers; even casual teachers were not available.
Tenterfield High School has experienced difficulties in filling permanent vacancies in the science department and has been forced to look interstate for an agricultural science teacher. Of course, agricultural science is an important component in a community such as Tenterfield. That is a major concern. Also, in the areas of physics and learning difficulties there have been vacancies. As far as I am concerned this situation is unsatisfactory and reflects poorly upon the Carr Government and the Minister for Education and Training, Mr Aquilina. Students in country schools such as Tenterfield High School have the right to expect that their schools be adequately resourced with the appropriate number of teachers and a stable teaching work force. The students have a right to the highest level of education. It is not good enough that classes are not covered, especially the senior classes with students approaching the Higher School Certificate. I take this opportunity to wish the students at Tenterfield High School, and at all other schools, all the best for the Higher School Certificate.
The school also reports its concern about the decline in the number of year 12 students in Tenterfield who are considering taking up a career in secondary school teaching. In May this year a publication of the New South Wales department of public education, Inform, stated that there would be an adequate supply of teachers, both primary and secondary, for the next seven years. Yet, Tenterfield High School has been forced to look interstate for teachers, to make do with an inadequate supply of casual teachers and to wait many months for permanent positions to be filled. The Minister and his department must ensure that country schools are adequately resourced with the appropriate number of teachers and that country schools, especially in the more isolated areas, have an adequate supply of casual teachers. Also there is a duty to ensure that more students, especially those from country areas, take up the honourable profession of teaching. The Government should ensure that country schools are able to fill vacancies quickly and that strategies are developed to make teaching at country schools more attractive to prospective and experienced teachers.
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