Parents to pay for teachers | Rockhampton News | Local News in Rockhampton
Parents to pay for teachers
Ted Malone is calling for a fair go for small schools
WHILE Marlborough State School faces becoming a one teacher school, parents are considering paying for more teaching time out of their own pockets.
LNP Member for Mirani, Ted Malone, said the school was set to have just one teacher covering from Prep to Year 7 in a single classroom, because of lowered enrolments.
“It’s really no wonder that Queensland students are performing so poorly when there is so little support for teachers in small schools,” Mr Malone said.
Other schools in the region, including Allenstown State School, may also lose a teacher because of lower than expected numbers on Day 8.
Day 8 is considered D-day for schools, when enrolments were counted and teacher numbers adjusted.
“If the Day 8 figures are too low for a second teacher, the Marlborough P&C Association is looking to fund a second teacher themselves — a ridiculous situation for this school to be in.”
Mr Malone is calling on the revision of those Day 8 figures for very small schools like Marlborough.
“Despite the number of qualified primary school teachers who cannot find work, teacher aides will be forced to fill the gaps and students will have to work independently at Marlborough to meet the eight different year level lesson plans set by the government.
“With half of the school’s students in Prep to Year 2, it would be difficult for any teacher to properly supervise and teach every student, but small schools have a very important place in the community and despite the difficulties, they should stay open.”
Mr Malone said that parents were frustrated by Labor’s lack of priorities when it came to spending on education.
Last year Marlborough State School received a $50,000 grant from the State Government for a new playground and a $250,000 resource centre, which is used as a classroom, through a federal grant.
Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson said the government recognised the challenges of teaching across multiple year levels at smaller schools.
“That’s why we provide extra support including additional teacher aide time,” Mr Wilson said.
“We’re providing an extra 15,000 hours of teacher aide time to Queensland schools over the next three years.
“This is on top of hours already allocated on the basis of student enrolments.”
He said he understood that staffing changes at local schools could be distressing for communities.
“All schools are staffed to meet class size targets and Queensland’s are among the nation’s lowest,” Mr Wilson said.
“If student enrolment numbers change after Day 8, schools can apply for extra staff for increases.”
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