Dire teacher shortages rattle Qld schools

Queensland principals are turning to social media in a bid to fill hundreds of vacancies as a last-minute vaccine mandate rattles the sector, with one school searching for 11 staff next year.

Desperate Queensland principals have turned to social media in a bid to plug dire staff shortages to ensure school kids have teachers in the classroom next year.

Education insiders have told The Courier-Mail that principal stress about staff shortages, particularly in Queensland’s rural and remote schools, has been exacerbated by the state government’s “last minute” implementation of a Covid-19 vaccine mandate.

Questions have been raised about the timing of this week’s announcement of the mandate, which has ordered teachers and staff to be double-dose vaccinated by January 23 – the day before term 1 begins.

One school leader told The Courier-Mail while the mandate was not “completely unexpected”, the timing less than two weeks before the end of the state school year had made planning for 2022 “a challenge”.

One school leader said they were left scrambling after being unclear about the vaccination status of some teachers.

Another leader, based in a regional Queensland state high school, said they had been “left scrambling” after being unclear about the vaccination status of “three to four” senior teachers, a week before the end of term 4.

The Courier-Mail understands state and Catholic school sector bodies emailed staff this week to request they register their “intent to vaccinate status” as soon as possible, in an attempt to plan for anticipated teaching shortfalls.

Complicating matters was that many Queensland private schools, who also fall under the vaccination mandate, have already finished for the year.

A Department of Education spokesman confirmed the measure, and said in order to “enable compliance with the direction, the (department) is undertaking ongoing communication with all school-based staff including surveying staff”.

“The Department of Education and all Queensland state schools have contingency plans in place and are well prepared for any disruptions that may arise from the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

The spokesman said there were currently about 218 teacher vacancies across the state, and “recruitment processes are underway”.

Among the schools turning to social media to find staff is Moranbah State High School, which has been advertising 11 positions including four maths and science teachers.

Collinsville State High School leaders have been posting online in search of three teachers to take classes in term 1, while Capella State High School has also turned to social media in a bid to recruit.

Queensland Teachers’ Union president Cresta Richardson said the union would continue to advocate for all members, and said they would “remind any members experiencing hardship or a unique situation involving this mandate to make contact with the union”.

“2022 will be no different for the QTU in strongly advocating for appropriate school resourcing for the challenges that lay ahead of our school communities,” she said.

But some schools are already reportedly facing staff walkouts, with others in race against time to find staff for term 1.

Glenwood State School has reportedly lost four of its teachers in just the week since the mandate was announced.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said all staff would need to comply with the public health order – to have received a Covid-19 dose by December 17 and a second by January 23 – unless they had a “valid medical exemption”.

“Queensland has worked hard to remain Covid-safe since the pandemic began, and this new vaccination requirement is a further step to keep our staff and the students and children in our care, safe,” she said.

“Staff absent from work must have a valid reason and provide appropriate evidence to support their absence, as is normal practice.”

With regards to Glenwood State School, the education department spokeswoman said there would be “arrangements to ensure the continuity of learning for all students will not be impacted”.