Schools left scrambling as teacher shortage puts key classes at risk

One of Brisbane’s largest high schools has been forced to cut maths and science classes because there are not enough qualified teachers. Similar shortages are impacting schools across Queensland.

Queensland kids are missing crucial maths and science classes as schools struggle to find enough qualified teachers to take lessons.

Education Minister Grace Grace has conceded there were “workforce challenges” at a national level and reported teacher shortages in certain geographical areas and STEM fields.

Parents at one Brisbane high school were this week told their kids could attend before and after school tutorials and request assignment due-date extensions as all schools experienced a shortage of contract and supply teachers.

The Gap State High School principal Anne McLauchlan. Picture: AAP/John Gass

Queensland Teachers' Union president Cresta Richardson.

The Gap State High School principal Anne McLauchlan wrote to parents saying the school did not have enough maths and science teachers, and had been overwhelmed by “unforeseen medical and health conditions” involving a “significant” number of teachers.

“Despite our best efforts and despite being a school of choice for contract teachers we are struggling to recruit suitable staff,” she wrote.

Queensland Teachers’ Union president Cresta Richardson said regional schools had felt the brunt of teacher shortages in maths and science for some time.

“It is becoming more evident in areas with large populations and is really becoming an issue in city areas,” she said.

One father told The Courier-Mail his year 9 daughter had already had at least six different science teachers at The Gap SHS this year.

“We understand this is a supply problem, and it’s not the school’s fault necessarily, but clearly there are not incentives or enough pay to attract the best teachers,” he said.

A mother with three students at the school said while The Gap high was doing its best to make up the shortfall, the kids who love maths and science were the ones “that really suffer”.

“If they want to advance in those areas it has to be self-motivated and they’ve got to attend these tutorials – which seems almost extra-curricular – just to be at the same stage as kids at other schools,” she said.

Ms Grace said she was aware of the issues at The Gap SHS, with the school “working around these absences”.

“In regards to The Gap State High School, I understand some teachers are away from school this term due to personal and medical issues,” she said.

LNP education spokesman Christian Rowan accused the state government of “failing” to listen to advice to improve the quality and quantity of Queensland’s STEM teaching workforce.

“The (government) must … invest in additional high-quality teaching staff in mathematics and science in Queensland schools, given unprecedented teaching workforce shortages,” he said.