It’s Time to Take the Genuine Big Step

“There is no question that there is a critical shortage of Early Childhood Teachers that needs to be addressed” said IEUA Federal Secretary Chris Watt, the union for Early Childhood Education.

“While early childhood diploma holders who undertake an additional year of training will increase the amount of ‘qualified’ Early Childhood Teachers, until wages and conditions are improved, graduates of 4-year degrees will continue to leave the sector in order to teach in primary schools” he said.

“The Big Steps campaign is a quick fix, short-term solution to a serious issue.  As a nation we must commit the resources to take the genuine big step.”

“An early childhood teacher working for the Department of Education in NSW earns between $50522 and $75352 per annum, while those working in community or private long day care settings earn between $43946 to $64557 or 15-17% less” said Chris Watt.

“We know the qualified early childhood teachers are choosing to not work in the sector.  Our members tell us for example that 2 out of 50 graduates in an early childhood education university course went into early childhood services, whilst the other 48 went to teach in primary schools.”

“We also must acknowledge that our children in early childhood education should be entitled to university qualified teachers whose training and school practicum experience ensures that they have experience in teaching children to count, add/subtract, measure, compare, match, recognise letters, associate letters and sounds, read and write and understand what “school readiness” consists of – the expectations of school and the skills, dispositions and abilities needed” he said. “This is not guaranteed under the Big Steps campaign.”

“Early Childhood Teachers must be paid the same rates of pay, and should be entitled to the same working conditions, as primary school teachers” said Chris Watt

“Teachers in community kindergartens have no access to paid maternity leave. This is a shameful situation considering that most early childhood teachers are women”

“Fundamentally, early childhood education must receive sufficient government funding and support to attract and retain qualified teachers.”

“The current shortage of teachers is indicative of the under-funding of the sector and the considerable wage and conditions difference compared to school teachers” said Chris Watt.

Contact:

Chris Watt

Federal Secretary Independent Education Union

Ph        (03) 9254 1830                         0419 259 143