“The IEUA urges education ministers attending the ministerial Standing Committee to heed
national and international evidence about what works and what have been dismal failures in
rewarding teachers” said IEUA Federal Secretary Chris Watt.
The Standing Committee of national education ministers meets in Melbourne on Friday 8 July.
“What all the evidence tells us is that one-off, performance based, quota driven systems for
rewarding teachers simply don’t work.”
“Fundamentally, teaching is a collegial profession and the sharing of knowledge, skills,
teaching resources and experience is fundamental to high quality teaching and therefore
improved learning for students.”
“Teachers in schools will not embrace a reward system that is nonsensically competitive and
would inevitably lead to tension and less professional collegiality in the staffroom.”
“By all means, let’s identify those highly accomplished teachers, utilize the national
professional teacher standards and then allow time for these teachers to work with their
colleagues, to support and mentor beginning teachers and be a resource for the professional
development of all school staff.”
“Ministers can implement the federal government’s election commitment by endorsing work to
be undertaken that is underpinned by the national standards but also recognises the need for
flexible and varied pathways in different systems and settings.”
“The IEUA is committed to working with non-government employers to facilitate
professionally sound and supportive arrangements that respect the profession and are
embedded in industrial agreements.”