Permanent teacher numbers in NSW public schools could be seriously reduced in coming years as a large percentage of the permanent workforce reaches retirement age.
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According to a NSW Auditor-General’s report focusing on education, more than half of the permanent teachers in the state’s public schools are over 45 years old, and almost 27 per cent are over 55.
In coastal NSW, the number of teachers older than 50 is significantly higher than the state average.
Almost 35 per cent of the teaching workforce will reach retirement age in the next five years.
NSW Teachers Federation president Maurie Mulheron said the state government’s Great Teaching, Inspired Learning plan would address aspects of the possible shortage, but more was needed to attract people to the profession, including salary increases.
‘‘The critical variable that’s not exhibited in any of that is salary levels; we still have a salary cap in NSW that suppresses teachers’ salaries at barely the inflation rate and we know that every time we have a real and dramatic increase in salaries for teachers we have an increased interest in teacher education courses from students,’’ he said.
He said the lower number of permanent teachers in younger age brackets could be attributed to the increased casualisation of the workforce, which needed to be stopped, and that more workforce planning was needed to meet the needs of schools.
A Department of Education spokesman said teaching was actively promoted as a career to students through the teach.NSW campaign, and teacher supply and demand was regularly analysed.
‘‘There is a more than adequate supply of primary teachers and an adequate supply of secondary teachers, except in the areas of mathematics, science with physics, some subjects in technological and applied studies, some specialist teaching areas and some specific subjects in particular geographical locations.’’
According to the Department of Education’s 2013 Teaching Workforce Supply and Demand report, the department appoints about 2200 new permanent teachers each year and this number was expected to increase in the next five years.
A University of Wollongong spokesman said enrolments in the various education degrees offered by the university remained at healthy levels.