Chair of the NSW inquiry into teacher shortages, One Nation MLC Mark Latham, is promoting a plan that will see teachers paid 10 per cent more if they work on school grounds from 8am to 5pm on school days and during school holidays.
Latham said the public wrongly believed teachers worked “cushy’’ hours from 9am to 3pm, with 12 weeks a year of annual leave and the proposed plan will clarify those misconceptions.
“Teachers are working well outside those parameters, so wouldn’t it be better to formalise an arrangement where teachers get four weeks of holiday a year like everyone else, and the other eight weeks are pupil-free for lesson preparation and the like, and that teachers work eight to five as work hours?’’ he said at an inquiry hearing in Sydney on Tuesday.
President of the NSW Teachers Federation, Angelo Gavrielatos said teachers should not be forced to stay on school grounds while they worked.
“Teachers are working up to 60 hours a week and they don’t have to be supervised when they’re doing their work,’’ he said.
“Where teachers choose to undertake that work is a professional decision.”
Speaking with The Australian, Latham said teachers should not be allowed to “work from home where there’s no supervision.”
“I’m sure those working hard might feel others are bludging,’’ he said.
Source: The Australian
