Anonymous #435

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #435

Where are you located?

New South Wales

What type of area do you live in?

Metropolitan

Are you an education professional?
(e.g. teacher, school leader, learning support assistant, teacher’s aide)

Yes

Which sector do you work in?

Other

What is your occupation?

Other

Elevating the profession

The actions proposed recognise the value teachers bring to students, communities and the economy.

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

You cannot claim to value teachers if schools do not provide a safe workplace. High levels of infection (and reinfection) is being experienced across schools where teachers and children are indoors in high density settings with inadequate air quality. Research from Australia shows the rapid spread of COVID-19 within an educational setting (Allen et al, 2022)

There are longer term physical and cognitive consequences of Covid infection and reinfections Eg, increased risk of pulmonary, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, whose risk increases with each reinfection. (Kompaniyets et al, 2022; Bowe et al, 2022).

According to workers compensation claims in NSW, over the last two years, teaching has been more dangerous than construction work. [May 2022- 1,293 claims in education and training versus 1041 construction, three times per capita in education than construction].

School are doing little to mitigate Covid beyond sometime opening windows. A survey of parents with children at 106 public and private schools around Australia run between 27 July and 9 August 2022 showed that the only mitigation being used by 41.5% of schools is the partial opening of windows and only 11.3% are taking action on a regular. (Survey of members of Covid safe schools, results available on request)

The long term consequences of Covid, should not be a personal cost of providing or receiving education in Australia. Schools have a duty of care to the physical and mental wellbeing of their teachers and students.

Ventilation measures are effective in improving air quality and reducing transmission of airborne diseases in schools both internationally (eg Ricolfi et al, 2022; Gettings et al, 2022) and in Australia (Snow et al, 2022). Improving air quality in schools has also been shown to lead to increased teacher retention and improved morale, improved student academic performance and lower teacher and student absences (eg Brink et al, 2020, The Lancet Covid-19 commission task force).

Government needs to set enforceable air quality standards for schools (as in Belgium and Ireland for indoor spaces) and fund the infrastructure requirements- HEPA filters, HVAC system filters etc.

Improving teacher supply

The actions proposed will be effective in increasing the number of students entering ITE, number of students completing ITE and the number of teachers staying in and/or returning to the profession.

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Retain the teachers you have and attract new teachers by providing a safe workplace. Reduce transmission of airborne diseases so that teachers should not have to risk their health and future wellbeing in order to work.

High levels of infection (and reinfection) is being experienced across schools where teachers and children are indoors in high density settings with inadequate air quality. Research from Australia shows the rapid spread of COVID-19 within an educational setting (Allen et al, 2022).

There are longer term physical and cognitive consequences of Covid infection and reinfections Eg, increased risk of pulmonary, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, whose risk increases with each reinfection. (Kompaniyets et al, 2022; Bowe et al, 2022).

According to workers compensation claims in NSW, over the last two years, teaching has been more dangerous than construction work. [May 2022- 1,293 claims in education and training versus 1041 construction]. On a per capita basis, teachers made workers compensation claims at about three times the rate of construction workers. The long term consequences of Covid, should not be a personal cost of providing or receiving education in Australia.

School are doing little to mitigate Covid beyond sometime opening windows. Ventilation measures are effective in improving air quality and reducing transmission of airborne diseases in schools both internationally (eg Ricolfi et al, 2022; Gettings et al, 2022) and in Australia (Snow et al, 2022). Improving air quality in schools has also been shown to lead to increased teacher retention and improved morale, improved student academic performance and lower teacher and student absences (eg Brink et al, 2020, The Lancet Covid-19 commission task force).

Government needs to:
1.set national enforceable air quality standards for schools (and all indoor spaces),
2. provide recommendations for measuring air quality and implementation of clean air strategies
3. fund the infrastructure requirements.
4. provide education and training to School principals and staff on the benefits of reducing transmission of airborne diseases, the need for ventilation and how to use the infrastructure.

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

The actions proposed will ensure initial teacher education supports teacher supply and quality.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Maximising the time to teach

The actions proposed will improve retention and free up teachers to focus on teaching and collaboration.

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Provide a safe workplace, so that the time teachers are off sick from work is reduced and teaching time is maximised. Reduce transmission of airborne diseases as teachers should not have to bear the long term consequences of Covid, in providing education in Australia.

High levels of infection (and reinfection) is being experienced across schools where teachers and children are indoors in high density settings with inadequate air quality. Research from Australia shows the rapid spread of COVID-19 within an educational setting (Allen et al, 2022).

There are longer term physical and cognitive consequences of Covid infection and reinfections Eg, increased risk of pulmonary, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, whose risk increases with each reinfection. (Kompaniyets et al, 2022; Bowe et al, 2022).

According to workers compensation claims in NSW, over the last two years, teaching has been more dangerous than construction work. [May 2022- 1,293 claims in education and training versus 1041 construction]. On a per capita basis, teachers made workers compensation claims at about three times the rate of construction workers.

School are doing little to mitigate Covid beyond sometime opening windows. Ventilation measures are effective in improving air quality and reducing transmission of airborne diseases in schools both internationally (eg Ricolfi et al, 2022; Gettings et al, 2022) and in Australia (Snow et al, 2022). Improving air quality in schools has also been shown to lead to increased teacher retention and improved morale, improved student academic performance and lower teacher and student absences (eg Brink et al, 2020, The Lancet Covid-19 commission task force).

Government needs to:
1.set national enforceable air quality standards for schools (and all indoor spaces),
2. provide recommendations for measuring air quality and implementation of clean air strategies
3. fund the infrastructure requirements.
4. provide education and training to School principals and staff on the benefits of reducing transmission of airborne diseases, the need for ventilation and how to use the infrastructure

Better understanding future teacher workforce needs

How effective are the proposed actions in better understanding future teacher workforce needs, including the number of teachers required?

Not effective at all

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Teachers are leaving the profession as schools do not provide a safe workplace. Improve retention by reducing the transmission of airborne diseases as teachers should not have to risk their health and future wellbeing in order to teach.

High levels of infection (and reinfection) is being experienced across schools where teachers and children are indoors in high density settings with inadequate air quality. Research from Australia shows the rapid spread of COVID-19 within an educational setting (Allen et al, 2022).

There are longer term physical and cognitive consequences of Covid infection and reinfections Eg, increased risk of pulmonary, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, whose risk increases with each reinfection. (Kompaniyets et al, 2022; Bowe et al, 2022).

According to workers compensation claims in NSW, over the last two years, teaching has been more dangerous than construction work. [May 2022- 1,293 claims in education and training versus 1041 construction]. On a per capita basis, teachers made workers compensation claims at about three times the rate of construction workers.

School are doing little to mitigate Covid beyond sometime opening windows. Ventilation measures are effective in improving air quality and reducing transmission of airborne diseases in schools both internationally (eg Ricolfi et al, 2022; Gettings et al, 2022) and in Australia (Snow et al, 2022). Improving air quality in schools has also been shown to lead to increased teacher retention and improved morale, improved student academic performance and lower teacher and student absences (eg Brink et al, 2020, The Lancet Covid-19 commission task force).

Government needs to:
1.set national enforceable air quality standards for schools (and all indoor spaces),
2. provide recommendations for measuring air quality and implementation of clean air strategies
3. fund the infrastructure requirements.
4. provide education and training to School principals and staff on the benefits of reducing transmission of airborne diseases, the need for ventilation and how to use the infrastructure

Better career pathways to support and retain teachers in the profession

The proposed actions will improve career pathways, including through streamlining the process for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation, and providing better professional support for teachers to retain them in the profession.

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Teachers need to be valued by providing a safe workplace. Reduce transmission of airborne diseases so that teachers do not have to bear the long term consequences of Covid, in providing education in Australia.

High levels of infection (and reinfection) is being experienced across schools where teachers and children are indoors in high density settings with inadequate air quality. Research from Australia shows the rapid spread of COVID-19 within an educational setting (Allen et al, 2022).

There are longer term physical and cognitive consequences of Covid infection and reinfections Eg, increased risk of pulmonary, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, whose risk increases with each reinfection. (Kompaniyets et al, 2022; Bowe et al, 2022).

According to workers compensation claims in NSW, over the last two years, teaching has been more dangerous than construction work. [May 2022- 1,293 claims in education and training versus 1041 construction]. On a per capita basis, teachers made workers compensation claims at about three times the rate of construction workers.

School are doing little to mitigate Covid beyond sometime opening windows. Ventilation measures are effective in improving air quality and reducing transmission of airborne diseases in schools both internationally (eg Ricolfi et al, 2022; Gettings et al, 2022) and in Australia (Snow et al, 2022). Improving air quality in schools has also been shown to lead to increased teacher retention and improved morale, improved student academic performance and lower teacher and student absences (eg Brink et al, 2020, The Lancet Covid-19 commission task force).

Government needs to:
1.set national enforceable air quality standards for schools (and all indoor spaces),
2. provide recommendations for measuring air quality and implementation of clean air strategies
3. fund the infrastructure requirements.
4. provide education and training to School principals and staff on the benefits of reducing transmission of airborne diseases, the need for ventilation and how to use the infrastructure