Delivering reform in ACT public education

095/11

Deputy Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr and Minister for Education and Training Dr Chris Bourke, have welcomed agreement with the AEU that will see key elements of Labor’s education reform agenda enacted.

The ACT Labor Government is determined that ACT public schools will attract and retain the very best teachers, by recognising them sooner, promoting them faster and paying them more.

"This agreement will see some ACT teachers receive very significant pay rises, while also providing the opportunity for our best teachers to stay in the classroom working in disadvantaged schools and helping our most needy students," Mr Barr said.

"The Government will now pay some of our best classroom teachers $100,000 – the fulfilment of a fundamental ACT Labor election commitment."

Dr Bourke said the ACT Government is very pleased in-principle agreement has been reached.

"This is a great result for teachers and for all public school students. It is the result of months of negotiations and hard work from all parties at the negotiating table.

"The agreement not only provides pay increases for all teacher classifications, it also sees the further progress on the delivery of a number of key education reforms such as: enhancing teacher quality, targeting teaching resources into disadvantaged schools and giving principals more autonomy to ensure ACT public schools remain the first choice for Canberra families," Dr Bourke said.

Mr Barr said the agreement provided principals with more autonomy and the ability to choose their own staff to meet their school community’s needs and ensure their students are achieving the best educational outcomes.

"Principals now have the power to create high performing teaching teams, where one teacher’s weaknesses are complemented by another’s teacher’s strengths."

Mr Barr said the agreement also provides significant reform of the teaching profession.

"In order to have a system of teaching which delivers quality in every class, teachers must be able to see a clear career structure and must not be held back by having to complete a number of years service before they can advance. Classroom teachers won’t reach their full potential without enhanced support and mentoring.

"That’s why in this agreement we are putting an end to the long slow march of career advancement within the teaching profession with new teacher leader positions, we are removing the current requirement for teachers to transfer at the end of their placement period and we are reducing face-to-face teaching hours to facilitate enhanced support and mentoring for first year teachers.

"The days of advancement by exhaustion in the teaching profession are now at an end. A competitive selection process for promotional teaching positions is critical because the best pay should go to the best teachers. This is a win for ACT teachers and a win for ACT students," Mr Barr concluded.

Dr Bourke said the most important job for any government is making sure young people get the best possible start in life and this means ensuring every student gets the best possible education.

"Education has always been, and will continue to be, a priority for the ACT Labor Government."

It is anticipated that ACT teachers will vote on the agreement as soon as February 2012. For more information visit www.det.act.gov.au.