Why Queensland teachers are turning their backs on the classroom

Teachers are turning their backs on their career earlier than ever before, with almost 70 per cent of all those leaving doing so for reasons other than retiring.

Many Queensland teachers are leaving the profession before retirement age.

Teachers are turning their backs on their career earlier than ever before, with almost 70 per cent of all those leaving doing so for reasons other than retiring.

The Courier-Mail recently revealed there were now more than 20,000 teachers over 60 working alongside scarce numbers of younger teachers across the state. But Education Queensland has confirmed the retirement rate is just 31 per cent of all “separations”.

The department clarified that separations could include anything from a teacher resigning to those who died, and claimed it could not differentiate the reasons for why teachers were leaving.

Australian Catholic University expert in educational leadership and former school principal, Dr Paul Kidson, said there were clear reasons why teachers were resigning in droves. “There are three clear and consistent reasons teachers say: unsustainability of the workload, increasing disrespect from parents and caregivers, and the time that management and administration of poor student behaviour takes from teaching,” he said.

“When these are combined, some teachers conclude it’s not worth staying.”

Dr Kidson said at the retirement end, there were those who took early retirement because of systematic issues and those who, for a range of economic reasons, felt compelled to stay longer to ensure their financial security into retirement. “Some teachers retire from ongoing permanent employment, but remain doing casual relief teaching, either on a daily or in a block for a short period of perhaps a few days or weeks,” he said.

“This gives them a flexibility to manage their lives while continuing to gain income, while experiencing less of the administrative burden. They have a freedom to choose when and for how long to work.”

Queensland Teachers’ Un-ion vice-president Leah Olsson said it was no secret added pressures of complex students in mainstream classrooms alongside underfunding and occupational violence were factors. “Apart from attracting new teachers to the profession, one of the biggest challenges we face as a society is retaining the valued and experienced teachers and school leaders we have,” she said.

Originally published as Why Queensland teachers are turning their backs on the classroom