Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and the state’s opposition have made it clear that the idea of teachers trialling a four-day work week to help reduce the current staffing shortages in the state is not on the table, despite a report making the recommendation.
A Monash University survey of 8000 Australian Education Union (AEU) members revealed only 30 per cent of teachers stay in the job until they reach retirement – and as job vacancies in the state climb to 2500, teachers are reporting the impact of burn-out.
Bigger pay and smaller classes recommended
The report has made nine recommendations, including a trial for a four-day working week for school staff, as well as pay rises and reduced class sizes.
“Making sure that it’s not just less time with the same expectations is important,” says Monash University’s Dr Fiona Longmuir.
“All of our staff, on average, are doing 12 and a half hours of overtime every week,” says AEU Victorian Branch President Meredith Peace.
“It could be a four-day working week for staff while children attend five days per week, or it could be a four-day week for everyone.”
But politicians from both sides of parliament say they aren’t interested in the idea.
“We have no plans for a four-day working week,” says Allan.
It’s a thought echoed by opposition education spokesperson Jess Wilson, who says that “classes being sent home because there aren’t enough teachers and reducing that week isn’t going to solve that problem, in fact it’s only going to put more pressure on the system”.
