Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation

Call Number
Nef 331.8809944 EDU
Created/Published
Sydney : The Federation, 1919-2021
Issue
Vol. 84 No. 03 (17 Mar 2003)
Images
24
View Catalogue

Contents

EDUCATION JOURNAL OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEACHERS FEDERATION 1
Social States Election Edition Public education takes centre stage 1
Average class sizes on the way down 1 , 7
How do the political parties rate on salaries? 1 , 7
In their own words: the political parties resond to our question about public education Special state Election Edition 2 , 23
EDUCATION JOURNAL OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEACHERS FEDERATION 3
Labor challenged to pay up 3 , 7
Uncertainty in a coastal seat 3
Asylum seeker rights focus for Easter protest 3
Polling shows strong support for teachers in public schools 3
Advertising 3
NEWS Developing countries rally for Australian women 4
TAFE exemptions available for temporary visa holders 4
Assessment and reporting 4
A quick comparison 4
Advertising 4
Officers 4
Executive 4
College structure offers hope for Walgett 5
New teachers need to be kept in the profession 5
Our Fed Reps 5
ng signs on private financing 6
The NSW PFI project 6
S E IN ALP’s plan for professional support for teachers 7
The President Writes Vinson Inquiry delivers an education election 8
LETTERS to the Editor 8
Ducking and weaving 8
Sobering book 8
A 1981 priority 9
Don’t forget science assistants 9
Posters missing 9
Nail in the coffin 9
Infuriated 9
Will Federation help? 10
Controlling destiny 10
Carbon Copy American propaganda 9
Advertising 9
ADMINISTRATION Casual vacancy for Women’s Co-ordinator 10
Duties 10
Advertising 10
Council vacancies for 2003-2004 11
Advertising 11
RETIRED Teachers Association 12 , 13
Advertising 12
Men teachers association reunion 13
Federation Library 13
Advertising 13
School library issues 14
It’s not easy being green 14 , 16
Advertising 14 , 15
REVIEWS Up, Up and Away The kissing bridges of Kings County 16
cheap WINE Water and wine 16
VIEWS Alms for peace, not arms for peace 17
Theatre Opera in its underwear 17
Advertising 17
FILM It’s all a matter of trust.... 18
Computer Corner Graphics in the picture 18
Website Ideas to minimise bullying 18
Monkey bars for big kids Mr Yen’s Word 19
GOING UP THE COUNTRY Trials and tribulations of government housing 19
Advertising 20 , 21
DT SMITH 21
THOSE WHO CAN’T 21
INSIDE 22
Advertising 22
Artist visits Mungindi students 22
Uralla supports part-time work 22
Consider public education when voting for Upper House 24
New voting system 24
P&C send postcards to politicians 24
Snippets 24
Moves afoot on child protection legislation 24
Advertising 24

Text

EDUCATION  

JOURNAL OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEACHERS FEDERATION  

’ 00104  

Vot. 84 No.3  

March 17. 2003  

Social States Election Edition  

Public education takes centre stage  

by Angelo Gavrielatos  

Members of the Public Education Alliance,  

parents, teachers and principals are to be  

congratulated for their tireless campaigning  

in the interest of public education.  

The teaching profession, in partnership  

with parents, has fulfilled its responsibility by  

giving the public in NSW detailed plan to  

make our great public schools even greater.  

This was achieved by commissioning the  

Vinson Inquiry and campaigning for immedi-  

ate implementation of its key recommenda-  

tions.  

The strength of campaigning to achieve  

the implementation of the key Vinson recom-  

mendations has been such that, for the first  

time in many years, the issue of public educa-  

tion has been centre stage.  

Federation created the necessary condi-  

tions which resulted in “bidding war” on  

the part of the major parties in an attempt by  

them to win the public education vote.  

In addition to the Vinson Inquiry, Federa-  

tion constructed what can only be described  

as one of our most successful campaigns  

leading into state election in our history. The  

success of the campaign, of course, has been  

driven and underpinned by the individual  

effort§ and collectiye action on the rt of  

blic education community,  

The campaign was forther augme nted by  

an extens ve advertising campaign which has  

included billboard posters, TV commercials  

and racdo and advertisements, Schools  

are so rou dly displaying new signage “Our  

future public education”.  

distribution of 600,000 booklets rep-  

resenting an abridged version of the Vinson  

findings in the back-to-school edition of the  

Sun-Herald on January 26 and the use of  

te election campaign button on Federation’s  

website are campaign highlights which further  

engaged the public education community in  

political action. More than 3000 e-mails to  

politicians were generated through the state  

election campaign website,  

The campaign culminated in major public  

event at the Sydney Town Hall on February  

19 at which the main political parties were  

put to the test, the result being that there have  

been announcements by the parties on the  

six united demands of the Public Education  

Alliance.  

We have achieved commitments on:  

• the reduction of class sizes in the early years  

of education  

• additional funding to better meet student  

welfare and special education needs  

• increased funding for professional develop-  

ment  

• enhancing the capacity of comprehensive  

education  

• funding for improvements to physical ameni-  

ties  

• strategies to attract teachers into the profes-  

sion.  

With the swearing in of new government,  

Federation’s work will focus on the achieve-  

ment of the best possible implementation of  

the initiatives announced during the election  

campaign.  

And, in the best of the union’s tradition,  

there will be more campaigning in the inter-  

est of achieving further advancements for  

students, the profession and public educa-  

tion.  

Angelo Gavrielatos  

is the Senior Vice  

President.  

The Public Education Forum at Sydney  

Town Hall played major role in ensur-  

ing public education is on the political  

agenda for the state election.  

Average class sizes on  

the way down  

by Jennifer Leete  

Effective campaigning by Federation mem-  

bers on class sizes means no matter which  

party wins government at the state election  

on March 22, the average class size for stu-  

dents in the early years of schooling will be  

reduced.  

On March Premier Bob Carr launched  

the ALP’s class sizes policy.  

He announced $329 million ($222 million  

in recurrent funding and $lO7 million to build  

new classrooms and modify existing teaching  

spaces) over four years in new money for “a  

major investment in our children’s future”.  

The policy document, released to coincide  

with the launch, stated that by 2007 the Carr  

Government would reduce class sizes:  

• in kindergarten to an average of 20  

• in year to an average of 22  

• in year to an average of 24.  

The pilot program running in 63 schools  

during 2003 would be used to draw up an  

operational plan to roll out the broader class  

size reduction program and to provide ‘base-  

line’ data and information for the longer-term  

plan.  

In 2004 all kindergarten classes in 429  

disadvantaged schools, that is, schools cur-  

rently part of the Priority Schools Funding  

Program (PSFP) would be reduced to an  

cIVOTcIIZC of 20  

In 2005'  

,, other kindergarte classes would be  

reduced tQ an of 20; and  

„ c|asses in PSFP schoo|s would  

be reduced an average of 22  

2006’  

” „ remaini ar classes would be  

reduced to an average of 22; and  

a|| dasses jn PSFP schools wou  

be reduced (0 an of 24  

2m remaini ar classes wou ld  

be reduced an eof 24  

According the ALP the re are currently  

2fi students in the Nsw  

gch()ol classroom  

The ALp wiu establlsh class size Reduc  

tion Unit ln the Department Education and  

Training (DET) oversee lementation  

of the plan as well as dedicated properties  

eam rti tems focussing on class  

sjzes wjl| be into lace This wi|l include  

an annual aud]t be rted in the DET ’  

annua as we| as irement that  

schools indude heir ow „ c|ass size figures in  

the annual school report to parents.  

Federation class sizes campaign began at  

continued on page  

Labor’s plan for professional support for teachers  

Page  

How do the political  

parties rate on salaries?  

by Maree O’Halloran  

As the state election approaches, only the  

Greens have been willing to make com-  

mitment on teacher salary increases for the  

next award.  

The ALP and the Coalition remain con-  

spicuously and deliberately silent about spe-  

cific quantum increases for teachers.  

On February 19 Minister John Watkins  

said: “We will arrive at negotiated settlement  

that will bring salary justice for teachers.  

That is the intention.”  

While the words are hopeful, they are  

eerily similar to former Education Minister  

John Aquilina’s script before the 1999 state  

election. Of course, this should be no surprise  

while Ministers come and go, Govern-  

ment salary offers to teachers are control-  

led and generated by the Premier and the  

Treasurer.  

Vinson per cent  

Professor Vinson recommended that teach-  

ers should be given one-off five per cent  

“catch-up” salaries increase during the life  

of the current award. This “catch-up” was to  

be independent of our next salaries negotia-  

tions.  

The inquiry said: “Apart from more ade-  

quately recognising the social value of the role  

performed by teachers, appropriate salaries  

will be important for attracting quality new  

recruits to the profession, especially in the  

circumstances where substantial numbers of  

teachers are expected to retire in the near  

future.”  

continued on page  

“The Greens have public  

education policy that matches  

in all respects the Vinson plan.”  

The President Writes  

Page  

Cite

Citation options:
Work identifier

http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775759

APA citation

N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. (1919). Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Retrieved August 19, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775759

MLA citation

N.S.W. Teachers' Federation and New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Sydney: The Federation, 1919. Web. 19 August 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775759>

Harvard/Australian citation

N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. 1919, Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation The Federation, Sydney viewed 19 August 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775759

Wikipedia citation

{{Citation
  | author1=N.S.W. Teachers' Federation.
  | author2=New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation.
  | title=Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation.
  | year=1919
  | section=volumes.
  | issn=0013-1156
  | issue=Vol. 84 No. 03 (17 Mar 2003)
  | location=Sydney
  | publisher=The Federation
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682775759
  | id=nla.obj-682775759
  | access-date=19 August 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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