Published Thursday, 15 January, 2009 at 06:49 PM
Minister for Education and Training and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Rod Welford
Welford takes red pen to Opposition teacher claims
Education Minister Rod Welford today offered the Opposition a free lesson in how teaching vacancies are filled and calculated in Queensland state schools.
Mr Welford said Opposition education spokesman John-Paul Langbroek’s claims on teacher staffing were so off track that they needed serious “red pen corrections”.
He said Mr Langbroek’s figures on overall state school staffing levels between 2005/06 and 2007/08 were understated by almost 1800.
“My Department has employed an additional 1792 staff in state schools during this period, not the 178 claimed by Mr Langbroek,” Mr Welford said.
Mr Welford said the Opposition’s calculations were grossly flawed and failed to take into consideration around twelve per cent of the Department’s school workforce.
“The numbers he is quoting refer to permanent employees only.”
“He has at best overlooked, or at worst, completely dismissed the valuable contribution that our temporary workforce makes,” Mr Welford said.
“At any point in time, my Department's workforce is made up of permanent, temporary and casual employees.”
Mr Welford said the Department’s staffing model allocated teachers in accordance with student-teacher ratios and class size targets agreed to with the Queensland Teachers’ Union.
“Vacancies can occur through transfers of existing staff, retirement or resignation, just like any other workforce.”
“These positions are filled according to the qualifications of applicants, and the demand for positions is driven by enrolment numbers.”
Mr Welford said the Government had committed 321 staff, including 270 teachers and teacher aides, from the 2008-09 budget for the start of the 2009 school year.
“This is what we promised and this is what we are delivering,” Mr Welford said.
“In recent years, our Government has provided extra teacher numbers not only to meet enrolment growth, but also to achieve a class size reduction in the middle years of schooling (Years 4-10).
“Mr Langbroek has yet again demonstrated a complete ineptitude for even the most basic principles of numeracy and logic.
“I am extremely disappointed in his shallow understanding of the process of appointing teaching staff.”
Just over 480,000 students enrolled in Queensland state schools in 2008 compared with 479,000 in 2007, an increase of approximately 1000.
Mr Welford said it was expected that 483,000 students would enrol in 2009, an increase of about 3000.
“Again, Mr Langbroek is scare mongering with his assertion of an enrolment increase of 20,000 students…..more than six times the actual increase,” he said.
“I remain confident that we have more than sufficient teaching numbers to meet teaching requirements in the vast majority of areas,” Mr Welford said.
Media contact: Jo Crompton or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000
Mr Welford said Opposition education spokesman John-Paul Langbroek’s claims on teacher staffing were so off track that they needed serious “red pen corrections”.
He said Mr Langbroek’s figures on overall state school staffing levels between 2005/06 and 2007/08 were understated by almost 1800.
“My Department has employed an additional 1792 staff in state schools during this period, not the 178 claimed by Mr Langbroek,” Mr Welford said.
Mr Welford said the Opposition’s calculations were grossly flawed and failed to take into consideration around twelve per cent of the Department’s school workforce.
“The numbers he is quoting refer to permanent employees only.”
“He has at best overlooked, or at worst, completely dismissed the valuable contribution that our temporary workforce makes,” Mr Welford said.
“At any point in time, my Department's workforce is made up of permanent, temporary and casual employees.”
Mr Welford said the Department’s staffing model allocated teachers in accordance with student-teacher ratios and class size targets agreed to with the Queensland Teachers’ Union.
“Vacancies can occur through transfers of existing staff, retirement or resignation, just like any other workforce.”
“These positions are filled according to the qualifications of applicants, and the demand for positions is driven by enrolment numbers.”
Mr Welford said the Government had committed 321 staff, including 270 teachers and teacher aides, from the 2008-09 budget for the start of the 2009 school year.
“This is what we promised and this is what we are delivering,” Mr Welford said.
“In recent years, our Government has provided extra teacher numbers not only to meet enrolment growth, but also to achieve a class size reduction in the middle years of schooling (Years 4-10).
“Mr Langbroek has yet again demonstrated a complete ineptitude for even the most basic principles of numeracy and logic.
“I am extremely disappointed in his shallow understanding of the process of appointing teaching staff.”
Just over 480,000 students enrolled in Queensland state schools in 2008 compared with 479,000 in 2007, an increase of approximately 1000.
Mr Welford said it was expected that 483,000 students would enrol in 2009, an increase of about 3000.
“Again, Mr Langbroek is scare mongering with his assertion of an enrolment increase of 20,000 students…..more than six times the actual increase,” he said.
“I remain confident that we have more than sufficient teaching numbers to meet teaching requirements in the vast majority of areas,” Mr Welford said.
Media contact: Jo Crompton or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000