Teacher shortage crisis

THE teacher shortage across Mallee schools has reached crisis levels, data shows, and their union has warned that staff are working unsustainable hours to fill the growing gaps.

New state government data this week revealed the extent of workforce challenges faced by schools in growth corridors of Melbourne and regional Victoria.

During the last calendar year, an average of 2.4 applications were received per vacancy at Mallee primary schools, and only one person on average applied to fill each vacancy at Mallee secondary schools.

There are about 1900 public school vacancies across the state. Fifteen education jobs are currently advertised in the Swan Hill local government area.

Robinvale College and Manangatang P-12 College had four vacancies each.

Australian Education Union Victorian branch president Meredith Peace described the data as shocking, but unsurprising.

“Most schools have very few and sometimes no applicants for teacher jobs. Class sizes are the largest they have been in many years,” Ms Peace said.

“Teachers, principals and education support staff are working unsustainable hours, doing all they can to cover the gaps so students don’t miss out.”

According to the 2021 Teacher Supply and Demand Report, 42 per cent of vacancies in Mallee secondary schools went unfilled, and an average of 2.3 applications were made for each available role.

For Mallee primary schools in that period, 27 per cent of vacancies went unfilled, and an average of 3.2 applications were received per available role.

Compounding the issue, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a notable drop-off in the number of people studying teaching courses at university.

La Trobe School of Education deputy dean Professor Bernadette Walker-Gibbs said strategies are in place to address the state-wide decline.

“This year is the first year we’re offering initial teacher education across all our rural and regional campuses,” Ms Walker-Gibbs said.

“Mildura in the past only offered primary and limited secondary (courses), now they can do their undergraduate secondary, early childhood primary, and primary degrees.

“There will be a couple of years before we see the impact of that.”

The Victorian Government will also cover the HELP debt of all students who enrol in secondary school teaching degrees in 2024 and 2025, as long as they work in Victorian government schools for two years after they graduate.

“We’ve actually seen an increase in secondary applications across the board,” Ms Walker-Gibbs said.