“That ICPA Qld lobbies the Department of Education to ensure that all teachers in schools offering State Delivered Kindergarten are remunerated to reflect their additional requirements in implementing the kindergarten program.”
Staff burn out is an increasing and recurring issue for rural and remote schools. Many implement the kindergarten program in a one-teacher setting, with limited support staff whom are already stretched. This setting inherently leads to an increased workload, often completed outside of their hours, and receiving no additional remuneration, which in turn is seeing a decline in attraction of staff to rural and remote schools as the support is not there and their workloads are becoming more onerous.
The planning for the kindergarten program is required to be undertaken and overseen by a teacher, yet can be implemented by teacher-aide staff. There is a lack of adequate remuneration for this additional time outlay by teachers, and an expectation on teacher-aide staff, whom are not specifically early childhood trained, to deliver it.
We are seeking that the Department recognise that in these multi-age settings, the planning and teaching across such a wide range is extensive and requires greater financial support.
