SA Government offering permanency for public school principals

The AEU has been seeking pay rises for public educators and more than $1bn in extra classroom support.

Principals would no longer have to regularly reapply for their job and would be guaranteed the same level of pay, under a change being considered by the state government.

As part of enterprise bargaining negotiations with the teachers union the government is offering permanency for public school principals and preschool directors.

The change would not guarantee that a principal would remain at the same school indefinitely but longer tenures would become more likely.

If a principal was moved the Education Department would have to find them another principal role, on the same level of pay.

Currently principals are appointed for a set term, usually five years, and then have to reapply for that position.

In cases where the principal and school are working well the department can “roll over” the position, but this can only be done once and for no longer than the original term.

Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer. Picture: David Mariuz

A principal may serve five years, have their position rolled over for another five years and then it must be advertised.

If the incumbent principal does not win back that role through the recruitment process then they could have to go back to a teaching position, and lower pay.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said offering permanency would give education leaders more certainty.

“Principals and preschool directors have been calling for this for many, many years,” Mr Boyer said.

“We expect more of those leaders than ever before and it’s only right that they have some certainty in their roles.”

SA Primary Principals Association president Tobias O’Connor said the incentive of permanency could encourage more teachers to apply for school or preschool leadership positions, particularly in rural or remote areas.

“When you move to the country you want to be invested, often people are wanting to buy houses,” said Mr O’Connor, who spent the past nine years as principal of Keith Area School.

“The continuity that this can afford in schools is a positive.”

Mr Boyer said the same performance management processes would remain in place for school leaders who were not meeting Education Department expectations.

The Advertiser reported last month that the department had so far this year advertised at least 42 principal positions and 22 preschool director positions.

They included a $150,000 a year salary for a leader at the remote Amata Anangu School, 1400km north of Adelaide and $175,000 to start 2024 as principal of Northern Adelaide Senior College in Elizabeth.

The state government is in ongoing negotiations with the Australian Education Union SA branch over its next pay and conditions deal.

The AEU is seeking pay increases for public educators of between 5.5 and 8.6 per cent per year, 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.

Thousands of teachers went out on strike on September 1 and the union has not ruled out further industrial action.