Western Australia’s teacher workforce is fraying under a double whammy of burnout and rising classroom complexity, recent reports show.
A recent ABC article quoted Curtin University’s Saul Karnovsky describing the current shortage as “unprecedented”, while State School Teachers’ Union WA (SSTUWA) president Matt Jarman warns workloads are “undoable and unsustainable” and says more teachers are retiring earlier, shifting from ages 60–65 to 50–60.
Meanwhile, the Federal Education Department forecasts that demand for secondary teachers will outstrip new graduates by about 4,100 this year, underscoring the supply crunch. And Union data paints the same picture, with 86% of WA members reporting they’d considered leaving within the previous year.
The WA Government disputes there’s a shortage, saying it has started each year with a teacher in every classroom, but has also set up a Workload Intensification Taskforce to help alleviate the pressures that staff are facing.
However, Melissa Gillett, President of the Western Australian Secondary School Executives Association (WASSEA), says while there are many factors contributing to teacher shortages across WA secondary schools, the most significant is “unsustainable workloads.”
“Workload is such a simple word, but the underlying causes are far more complex,” Gillett told The Educator. “Put simply, teachers want to get on with the job of teaching their students; and principals want to be instructional leaders.”
Gillett said the two things that stop this from occurring are administrative tasks – few of which have any tangible link to teaching and learning – and insufficient support and resourcing (both internally and from external agencies) to manage students with complex needs – including those with diagnosed or imputed disabilities, mental health concerns or social issues.
“Within the secondary context, shortages have led to an increase in the number of teachers teaching outside their area of expertise,” she said.
“This requires teachers to spend significantly more time planning to meet the needs of individual students and, contrary to the views of the Productivity Commission, this will not be resolved by producing a database of lesson plans.”
In WA, lack of appropriate housing for teachers working in regional and remote schools is another factor driving shortages, says Gillett.
“In sought-after areas, such as the south-west of the state, there is no affordable rental accommodation,” she said. “In regional areas where government housing is provided for teachers, we frequently find the accommodation is both unsafe and well below acceptable living standards.”
Western Australia’s primary school principals attribute workforce shortages in their schools to the significant rise in the number of students with complex needs, coupled with insufficient resourcing and support.
“This combination results in additional workload through training requirements, development and review of plans, meetings with stakeholders, documentation and reporting,” Niel Smith, president of the Western Australian Primary Principals’ Association (WAPPA), told The Educator.
“Workload aside, there is also a significant demand on school staff to meet the ongoing and often unreasonable demands that are now made of schools to individualise every aspect of a student’s schooling experience.”
Smith said when these demands can’t be met, there is a natural increase in complaints management, meetings, responding to requests for information and the like.
“Within the school and Xmas environment there is also a notable increase in violence and aggression towards school staff, from a variety of stakeholders,” he said. “All of these issues are exacerbated in regional and remote areas.”
What should be done?
Matt Jarman, president of the State School Teacher’s Union of Western Australia (SSTUWA), said the biggest improvements would come from reducing class sizes, especially in disadvantaged schools, and increasing access to specialist staff like school psychologists, education assistants and behaviour support teams.
“We need better-resourced local support services that are accessible, responsive and tailored to school needs,” Jarman told The Educator. “Additionally, teachers need more time for planning and collaboration, and schools require better infrastructure and technology.”
For WA’s regional schools, Jarman pointed to a need for targeted incentives and additional Government Regional Officer Housing support to attract and retain staff.
“A coordinated safety framework, stronger early childhood programs, and culturally responsive Aboriginal education strategies are also essential to meet the complex realities of today’s classrooms,” Jarman said.
“These changes would improve student outcomes, reduce teacher burnout and help rebuild stability across the public education system.”
As older teachers retire or resign and create a dearth of knowledge and experience in WA classrooms, Jarman said coaching and mentoring must be a priority for education policymakers.
“We need additional funding for release time for school leaders and senior teachers to provide consistent, in-class coaching and support for new educators,” he said. “Early career teachers benefit from reduced workloads, strong induction programs and access to collaborative professional learning.”
Jarman added that structured mentoring should be embedded in school planning and supported by clear policy.
“We must foster a culture where mentoring is prioritised and embedded in everyday practice,” he said.
Retaining experienced teachers is also what ensures mentoring capacity and continuity to help new teachers feel supported, build confidence and develop into the experienced professionals our public education system depends on.”
When asked what kind of action she thinks is needed to both retain WA secondary school leaders and teachers, and attract more of them to the profession, Gillett said the education system needs to do some soul searching.
“Instead of trying to solve a complex problem with quick solutions – like intensive tutoring support for small groups of students or short-term salary incentives to attract teachers to rural areas – we need to fundamentally re-examine what we are doing,” she said.
“Are our schools still fit-for-purpose? Is the national curriculum meeting the current and future needs of our students?”
Gillett said the most significant action needed is for education policymakers to sit down with the profession and listen to what is needed from the experts in the room.
“When I visit my GP for an annual check-up, I don’t suddenly become a medical expert. So why is it that politicians and bureaucrats think they are educational experts simply because they attended school when they were children?”
In Smith’s view, there needs to be a significant investment in primary education to support early intervention, wrap around services for students, and greater support at the point of need.
“Staff having access to additional specialists, education assistants, school psychologists would all help support the workload of teachers,” he said. “In regional areas this support is critical, but another major issue impacting staffing attraction and retention, is access to quality housing in regional areas.”
Looking ahead, housing will likely become just as critical as salary for attracting and retaining staff, Smith said.
“Whilst cash incentives can entice employees, many WAPPA members report that staff desire comparable housing, given the increasing age of newly appointed teachers.”