Minister for Education Yvette Berry survived a no-confidence motion after the Opposition labelled her handling of the situation at Calwell High School “incompetent”. Photo: Region Media.
The Territory’s Education Minister has survived a no-confidence motion raised by the Opposition after revelations a Canberra school has been deemed unsafe for students and teachers.
The Assembly heard a prohibition notice – which barred year 7 and 8 students from campus – made for “upsetting” reading for the teachers’ union and “shocking” reading for Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee.
The notice revealed critical safety issues relating to bullying and violence against teachers and students, a “gang” culture among students and serious staffing and resource shortfalls at the school.
Inspectors described teachers who were “scared” of students as they were subjected to violence, swearing, abuse and sexualised behaviour, and faced with large classes – one of up to 75 students.
Ms Lee laid the blame solely at the feet of Minister for Education Yvette Berry, who she described as an “incompetent minister who [had] failed to act” and allowed the “nightmare” of Calwell High School to occur.
“I’m devasted for our teachers and school staff who are enduring these horrendous working conditions … those students who are experiencing this horror on a daily basis … for our parents who rightly expect their children to be safe at school and are being completely and utterly betrayed under the watch of this minister,” she said.
Ms Lee claimed Ms Berry had failed to ensure adequate teachers and the right school infrastructure to support the community.
She said if this was to occur in any other workplace, the person in charge would be held responsible by the law and the community.
“This is deplorable. If you do not take a stand you are failing every single Canberran.”
Opposition leader Elizabeth Lee called Education Minister Yvette Berry “incompetent” for her failure to address issues of resourcing and violence at Calwell High School. Photo: Lottie Twyford.
Opposition spokesperson for education Jeremy Hanson again described the situation at Calwell High School as the worst he had seen in all his years of politics.
“The [students and teachers] are not safe … how is that acceptable?” he asked.
“A minister that does not act when kids’ safety and teachers’ safety is at risk does not deserve to be a minister in any government.”
But the government’s whip Mick Gentleman described the Opposition’s motion as nothing but a “stunt” and the ACT Greens did not support the no-confidence motion either.
Ms Berry said she had also been devasted to read WorkSafe ACT’s report.
“This should not be happening in our schools,” she said.
Ms Berry argued action had been undertaken to address the teachers union’s concerns at Calwell High School since it became aware of them last July and said additional resources had been allocated to the school, including on-site counsellors for staff and school psychologist appointments available via Telehealth.
“The school support plan is being updated – ready for implementation in term two. Key themes will focus on risk management approaches, teaching quality, health and wellbeing for students and staff are being briefed on supports available,” Ms Berry told the Assembly.
She also outlined all the investments the government is currently making in education and school infrastructure and reiterated comments about the entire country facing teacher shortages “which the ACT is not immune to”.
But Ms Lee described this response as heartless, disrespectful and robotic.
Ms Berry argued once again that Calwell “is a great school and it is a safe school”.
“The teachers are all wonderful and the students I have met with have warmly welcomed me to their school. It distresses me to hear of the circumstances that have occurred out at Calwell,” she said.
“I’m committed to providing all the support to lift them out of this situation and to continue their great reputation within their community.”
Australian Education Union ACT branch secretary Patrick Judge has confirmed the issue of understaffing and under-resourcing raised by teachers at Calwell High School is not isolated.
“We have had some contact from members at different schools telling us that they have the same or similar problems in terms of staffing but also that there are impacts in terms of safety,” he said.
Mr Judge said the union was making those concerns known to the Directorate and said they had a responsibility as an employer to ensure a safe workplace, free of violence.
“It’s as much a concern to me if they didn’t know about this as if they did know and hadn’t taken appropriate action.”
He said Calwell High School must be provided with additional resources by the Directorate, and that it would likely require above and beyond the usual levels of support to “recover” from the position it now found itself in.
Loading ...
