We were the 'fifth line of defence' but now dept staff are plugging holes in schools

Margaret Ryan

By Margaret Ryan
Published March 29, 2022

NSW public schools are part of an “education system in crisis”, according to Jane*, one of the 350 NSW Department of Education corporate staff ordered out of the office and back to face-to-face teaching at least until the end of Term 2.

As an instructional specialist, she’d given up permanency for a three-year contract that saw her deliver professional development to teachers in ...

Art & Design Teacher

Veritas Bradford

Teaching - Secondary / Jun 05, 2026

Finance Officer - Centenary State High School

Department of Education and Training (Queensland) Brisbane

Centenary State High School is seeking an experienced and highly capable AO4 Finance Officer to support the effective financial management of the school. This role ...

Teaching - Secondary / Jun 05, 2026

EOI - Community Education Counsellor (Identified) - Laidley District State School

Department of Education and Training (Queensland) Brisbane

Laidley District State School is seeking an experienced Community Education Counsellor to join our school community, supporting students, families and the wider school...

Teaching - Secondary / Jun 05, 2026

School news / Teachers ‘on the front line’ amid rising number of students with disability adjustments

Teachers are grappling with the need to provide a host of educational adjustments to students with disability, with new data showing a clear uptick in children requiring specialised supports so they can best learn and participate in the classroom.

School news / Union demands 24 per cent pay rise for Qld teachers as industrial dispute rolls on

Queensland’s largest education union has insisted on a pay increase of 24 per cent over three years for teachers and school leaders, as its industrial battle with the State Government shows no sign of ending anytime soon.

School news / Teen wellbeing improving after years of post-pandemic concern, major study finds

A major new study suggests teenage wellbeing may finally be recovering after years of concern over the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

School news / NSW voters back union push to get more help for classroom teachers

Teachers demanding more hours to plan for the classroom lessons have been backed by Australian voters across the political spectrum.

School news / Bridge-building event warmly celebrates diversity, friendship and cultural connection

Kids Breaking Bread (KBB) hosted its second event last week, bringing together primary school students from different religions in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs for a heartwarming initiative designed to foster friendship and cultural connection among y...

School news / Minns’ education claims don’t match reality for NSW school students, Opposition says

More than 25,000 NSW teachers and school support staff who were previously on uncertain temporary contracts are now in permanent roles, keeping more teachers in the classroom and delivering better outcomes for students across the state, the Minns ...

Opinion / Explicit instruction: what works, what doesn’t, and why it matters

Explicit instruction has become a familiar term in Australian education. But as the saying goes, familiarity can breed contempt.

School news / Empathy, inclusion and confidence: new game to change way kids learn about periods

Menstrual stigma remains a significant issue in Australia. Rooted in a culture of secrecy and poor education, it often leads to widespread embarrassment, “period poverty”, and a delay in seeking medical help for symptoms of conditions like endomet...

School news / Male entrepreneurs are capitalising on rising misogyny in Australian schools: study

A host of male entrepreneurs are essentially profiting off ‘resurgent masculinity’ in Australian schools and sidelining the authority of female teachers in the process, some researchers say.

School news / Parents push for expanded scrutiny at Tas jumping castle inquest

Families of children who died in a primary school jumping castle tragedy in Tasmania want teachers and the then-principal to give evidence at a looming inquest.

Comments