In February 2010, a small number of students known as the ‘Half Year Cohort’ will move from primary to high school Year 8 in West Australia.

The 'Half Year Cohort came about following the changing of school starting ages a few years back. This half year of students has been moving through primary schools, but will now attend high school for the first time. This will result in lower enrolments at many Western Australian high schools.

With fewer enrolments, the traditional staffing formula method will show certain schools as having excess teaching staff. The government has only one plan to accommodate this – sack about 500 teachers!

WA is still in the middle of a staffing crisis with teacher shortages predicted once again in the near future - losing good staff now will have a disastrous effect on schools and education in a couple of years.

• Many university students will graduate as teachers in 2009 and have a HECs debt, but no job.
• Many experienced teachers currently employed on contracts will not be re-employed in 2010.
• Many good teachers will leave the system and go to private schools, schools in the Eastern States or overseas, or out of teaching altogether.
• In some high schools more than 30 teachers will lose their jobs.  In some subjects 60% of teachers will lose their jobs.  Student learning will be severely disrupted.
• Experienced primary teachers on contracts may be replaced with secondary teachers who have been given only 4 days of training to teach primary.
• Losing good quality teachers will mean that schools cannot deliver a comprehensive curriculum that caters for the needs of all students.
• Curriculum choice in Years 11 and 12 will be greatly reduced by the time the half cohort of students reaches these years in 2013 and 2014. Students will be forced to change schools or travel between sites to get the subjects they need. Year 9 and 10 subject choices will also be affected.
• Classes will be larger and there will be less teacher/student time for learning development. Valuable programs like literacy and numeracy, students at risk, intensive English and student behaviour management will also suffer.
• Schools will be forced to compete with each other to boost student enrolments.  Schools that are unsuccessful will struggle to maintain their viability.
• In two years time, when there will be a severe shortage of teachers, most of the teachers who lose their jobs will most likely not be available to work in schools.

PARENTS, TEACHERS AND CITIZENS CAN BECOME INVOLVED AND TELL THE GOVERNMENT TO KEEP THE JOBS OF 500 TEACHERS - Keeping the 500 teachers will allow schools to develop better educational programs and operate with smaller classes thus benefiting our children.

The cost of keeping the jobs of the 500 teachers amounts to only 1% of the state education and training budget in 2009/2010.

Make your feelings known to:

• Your local Member of Parliament
• Department of Education officials in schools, district offices and Head Office
• School Council and P&C members in your local school

Let everyone around you know what is going on – they vote too!