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Question and Answer Tracking Details

3602 - RELEASE FROM FACE-TO-FACE TIME

Donato, Philip to the Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Early Learning, and Minister for Western Sydney
RELEASE FROM FACE-TO-FACE TIME

Given the increasing complexity of teaching in the 21st Century, does the Government plan to increase teachers' release from face-to-face time by an additional 2 hours, to support the retention and attraction of teachers to the profession?
Answer -

Teacher release from face-to-face is available for primary school teachers as per the Teacher Staffing Entitlement Policy. For secondary teachers, the allocation of face-to-face teaching time is embedded within whole school timetabling as per the Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2017.

The Minns Labor Government has undertaken significant work to attract and retain teachers. The Government delivered the most significant uplift in teachers’ salaries in a generation. As a result of the Minns Labor Government’s decision, teacher vacancies are at a three-year low, there are fewer resignations and more experienced teachers are staying in the profession.

The Government has also provided more job security to education staff, with almost 17,000 temporary teachers and support staff made permanent.

The Government is also providing more pathways for teachers through its expansion of Grow Your Own as well as more targeted recruitment for hard-to-staff schools through its expansion of the Priority Recruitment Support Program. The Department of Education also continues to provide scholarships to support future teachers.

Following strong advocacy from the NSW Government, the Australia Government is also introducing a new means-tested Commonwealth Prac Payment for students completing teaching placements.

Our government is also committed to reducing the admin burden on teachers in meaningful way.

We have already taken significant steps including:

  • Listening to teachers, principals, and the non-government school sector by providing more time for the successful and effective implementation of new curriculum, in line with the recommendations of Masters Review.
  • Expanding the trial of the safe and secure, Department of Education-developed AI application NSWEduChat to every NSW teacher to help with tasks such as lesson planning.
  • Streamlining the teacher accreditation maintenance process.
  • Removing restrictive professional development requirements and ensuring teachers can undertake the PD that will add value to their students.
  • Reducing policy-related workload through cutting and consolidating the policy documents that schools need to comply with.

Question asked on 17 September 2024 (session 58-1) and printed in Questions & Answers Paper No. 70
Answer received on 22 October 2024 and printed in Questions & Answers Paper No. 81

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.