With the ACT Election four months away, Canberra Daily is asking organisations around Canberra for their perspectives on key issues, the ACT Government’s accomplishments, and what an incoming government should focus on.
Angela Burroughs is branch president of the Australian Education Union (AEU) ACT, the local branch of the national union of educators in public schools and TAFEs. The ACT Branch represents teachers, school assistants, school psychologists and other support staff across the territory.
What do you regard as the ACT Government’s successes in the current term?
The ACT Government’s successes this term include accepting the recommendations of the Teacher Shortage Taskforce, initiating important reviews into school infrastructure and the teaching of literacy and numeracy, and investing in fee-free TAFE places to address skills shortages. These steps show a willingness to examine and improve our education system. While we don’t always agree, the ACT Government has worked closely with AEU representatives to make sure the voice of teachers is heard loud and clear, and they’ve listened when it matters.
What could have been handled better – or left aside?
The teacher shortage means that thousands of our students go without a dedicated teacher every single day. The Government could have taken bolder steps to attract and retain teachers, such as immediate workload reduction and incentives like those offered in other states. Clearer communication with the community setting realistic expectations of our school system during this time of extreme teacher shortage could have been handled better. Aging and poorly maintained school infrastructure should have been a higher priority. AEU principals make clear that they want clarity in funding, to be relieved of administrative and compliance burdens, and to be able to do what they do best: help our teachers and school staff flourish as educators.
Additional funding for CIT to properly support disadvantaged students accessing free courses was also needed.
What do you see as the major issues that an incoming government will have to deal with?
Major issues include the ongoing teacher shortage crisis, the urgent need to upgrade school and CIT infrastructure to meet basic standards of safety and inclusion, and expanding support for students with additional needs. We need a school psychologist for every school, classrooms that are safe and fit for purpose, and the funding necessary to deliver all of the recommendations of the Literacy and Numeracy Inquiry. We must adequately remunerate teachers, school assistants and school leaders for the vital and increasingly complex work they do for our local communities.
Everyone should get an excellent education, regardless of your postcode or your parents’ wealth. Addressing inequities in school resourcing and lifting outcomes for all students is critical.
What should the government’s priorities be? What policy initiatives or reforms might be useful to meet the challenges ahead?
The Government must end the teacher shortage through strong attraction and retention measures, and take seriously the crisis of workload shouldered by AEU members. It must fund school upgrades to ensure every student has access to high-quality facilities. It must provide resources for literacy and numeracy support including quality curriculum materials, and intensive small-group tutoring.
CIT is crucial to Canberra’s success: the government must invest in CIT’s workforce, student support services, and campus renewal. Working closely with educators to reduce administrative burdens and strengthen public education is key.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The next government has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a real difference for ACT students. Bold investment and reform in education was needed even before recent crises, but now it is absolutely essential. By listening to the teaching profession and committing the necessary resources, we can build a world-class, equitable education system to properly support every child and young person. Our students deserve nothing less.
