AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED

“The 2008 Federal Budget is a genuine opportunity to recast the funding of education programs based on inclusion, targeting need, educational research and  reports, rather than the last decade characterised by the divisive, ideological stance of the previous government” said Chris Watt, Federal Secretary of the Independent Education Union of Australia.

“Australian school teachers, support staff and students have not been well served by the ad hoc programs of the last decade” he said.

“An integrated, cohesive and inclusive approach is needed”.

“The quick-fix policy for students not meeting literacy and numeracy benchmarks after 4 years of schooling under the previous government was a voucher system with private coaching clinics, which is too late for many students, and administratively expensive.”, said Chris Watt.  

“The 2005 National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy recommended early intervention and resources for reading support programs in schools, including the provision of highly trained specialist teachers with specialized skills in teaching reading.” he said “Not vouchers”.

“The previous Federal Government turned the most serious matter of ongoing teacher professional development into a raffle with its Summer School program” said Mr Watt.

“And for those teachers who didn’t fit one of the restrictive categories, such as accomplished music and arts teachers who nurture some of Australia’s great talents or the vocational education teacher who contributes mightily to redressing the skills shortage in many of our trades, there were no places at all at Summer School for them”

“The 2008 federal budget should reallocate these funds to contribute to the professional development needs of all teachers”.

“While the IEUA has long expressed support for a national professional body for teachers that would have as its goal the enhancement of the status and standing of the teaching profession, the previous government’s initiative, Teaching Australia, was not going to be that body” said Chris Watt.

“Not only was it not underpinned by a collaborative approach involving key education stakeholders, nor was it accountable to teachers, nor reflective of the profession in its membership and it tended to seek to duplicate work of existing State teacher registration authorities. It is not clear that Teaching Australia can survive the critical overhaul required”

“The IEUA looks forward to progressing an education agenda that is coherent, appropriately resourced and reflective of both the needs of schools and the substantial research and knowledge base that already exists” said

Chris Watt.

Contact:

Chris Watt

Federal Secretary                                 

02 62733107                  0419259143