More than 300 SA schools will either close or offer altered lessons over teacher strike

Hundreds of SA schools will either close on Friday or be forced to offer alternative plans because of strike action planned by teachers. See which schools are closing.

More than 300 South Australian schools will close or be forced to alter classes because of the planned teacher strike on Friday.

The Education Department has revealed 167 public schools or preschools will close and 152 will have to offer a modified program.

The remaining 608 sites will be open as normal, or already had a planned pupil free day on Friday.

Education Department chief executive Martin Westwell said where schools planned to close there would be a staff member on site to supervise any children who arrived “unexpectedly”.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said there was a “central team (of education staff) working with parents to find something” if they could not make alternative arrangements for their children.

Mr Boyer said the union had “moved” its position during negotiations on Wednesday - including backing away from a demand for a school support officer (SSO) in every classroom - but not enough to avert strike action.

It is understood the government intends to deliver a revised offer to the teachers union late on Wednesday.

However, Mr Boyer said the union’s claims for wage increases of between 5.5 and 8.6 per cent was unreasonable and would not be met.

Australian Education Union SA branch president Andrew Gohl said he would meet with the union’s executive at 5pm to discuss the outcome of Wednesday’s negotiations.

Mr Gohl announced the strike last Friday, after an overwhelming 80 per cent of teachers who took part in the vote approved the move.

However, Mr Gohl could not say exactly how many school or preschool teachers would not go to work on Friday as part of the industrial action.

Mr Gohl disputed suggestions the decision to strike was too hasty and reiterated the union had been in negotiations with the government since the beginning of the year.

The AEU has about 12,100 members in SA, although not all of them work in schools or preschools.

Education Minister Blair Boyer says schools will have someone available to supervise children despite expected closures on Friday. NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Mr Boyer earlier promised that where parents had no other option but to send their child to school there would be someone there to supervise them.

“We are encouraging parents in those instances where their school has said they’re going to close … to make alternative arrangements but where there’s no alternative arrangements and they’re really stuck we are not going to turn anyone away,” Mr Boyer told ABC Radio Adelaide.

“We will have some people on site at each site but it might only be a very small number.”

East Adelaide School is one of the sites closing on Friday due to the strike and Frank Ali, grandfather of seven and nine-year-old students Ziggy and Indi, said he hoped the strike “doesn’t affect too many families”.

“Hopefully they’ll be able to manage,” Mr Ali, 69, from Payneham South, said of families scrambling to find alternative care for their children.

But Mr Ali, a retired teacher, said he has a “dichotomy of views” on the issue and sympathised with staff going on strike.

Grandfather Frank Ali, with Indi and Ziggy, at East Adelaide School. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / Emma Brasier

This week Mr Boyer and Industrial Relations Minister Kyam Maher have been in last-ditch negotiations with the AEU to try to avoid the action.

Mr Boyer met with the union on Wednesday but earlier conceded he did not believe the strike could be averted.

“I think the gap between what the union is asking for and what the state is able to deliver is still too large at this point,” he said.

“My message to families out there is, I think it will go ahead and we are making plans accordingly.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas has also conceded he believes the strike is unavoidable at this point.

Speaking on FIVEaa on Wednesday morning, the Premier said he had been surprised to hear that some schools had told parents they would be completely closed on Friday and revealed he had spoken with Mr Boyer about clarifying communication.

“If a parent is genuinely stuck and has no other option but to take that kid to school then that option will be available to them,” Mr Malinauskas said.

When asked whether he thought teachers were “hell bent” on striking, Mr Malinauskas said: “I am worried about that prospect”.

“The union still has claims on the table that are worth billions of dollars that they have not showed any willingness to depart from,” he said.

Opposition education spokesman John Gardner said there had been “mixed messages” from the government on how parents should plan for the strike.

“That confusion is only adding to the frustration and anger,” Mr Gardner said.

“Schools in some circumstances are saying there is no care provision at all.”

Mr Gardner went on to say that the strike “isn’t necessarily going to help the union’s case”.

“The strike does nothing to help that negotiation,” he said.

Mr Gardner said he would not be surprised if the strike did not go ahead.

“It wouldn’t be the first time that the union called off the strike and we certainly hope that happens,” he said.

The AEU is seeking pay increases for public educators of between 5.5 and 8.6 per cent per year until 2026, which Mr Malinauskas said was “well in excess” of what other workers were getting in the public or private sector.

AEU SA branch president Andrew Gohl. Picture: Supplied

The AEU is also asking for more than $1bn in extra classroom support to ease workload pressures and manage children with complex needs, and a 20 per cent drop in face-to-face teaching time.

However, government negotiators have told the union to narrow its scope and present a more realistic log of claims.

The AEU first flagged possible strike action on August 16, and opened voting among its 12,000-plus members two days later.

The ballot closed at 5pm on Friday August 25, when AEU SA branch president Andrew Gohl announced the result.

The union says educators are leaving the sector because they are being inundated with paperwork and administrative tasks, much of which is being completed out of paid hours.

A rally on the steps of Parliament House is planned for 11am on the day of the strike.