Guest Post
A pay rise will not solve the teacher shortage that appears to be occurring in
some locations.
There are a range of reasons that encourage or discourage people into teaching and pay is likely to be only a small part of the story. If you pay more by location all you will succeed in doing is creating shortages elsewhere.
Until the teacher college monopoly supply situation is broken there is only a tiny incremental growth in graduates possible.
If they want to actually solve the “shortage” – not just keep the market restricted and use kids as a bargaining tool, then they need something like:
Introducing an apprentice scheme for teachers that allow people with 10-15 years industry experience to enter the teaching profession without having to drop at least one year’s income (something very hard to do in your 30s or 40s). This could easily solve the teacher shortage and bring great people into the profession. The teachers’ colleges won’t like it because they would lose their gate-keeper status and potential funding. It would work for the children and it
needs to happen. It has the potential to bring some remarkable people into the profession who have a range of experiences.
By taking the teacher training year out for secondary school teachers you are effectively putting
$46+ in new teachers pockets as they would not have to spend a, largely wasted,
year at teachers college. The teachers’ colleges could adapt to provide more on the job supervision and block courses.
If you agree with me that’s nice, but what I really want to achieve is to make you question the status quo, look between the lines and do your own research. Do not be a passive observer in this game we call life.
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