Four-day school week for teachers plan facing scrap heap

The LNP says it will focus on freeing up teacher workloadsby cutting admin and red tape in bid to solve the widespread staff crisis but is it the right move? VOTE NOW

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek says he will be working directly with schools to ensure they had the resources needed to deliver a world-class education to Queensland kids. Picture: Getty Images

A policy allowing Queensland schools to introduce four-day weeks could be scrapped, with the newly-minted Education Minister saying the government had its own plans to address the teacher shortage.

From this year, schools were given the option of moving to shorter weeks and flexible hours. A blueprint was distributed to schools across the state setting out the pathway including trials and extensive consultation with the school community.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek refused to be drawn on whether the policy would be allowed to continue under the new government.

Mr Langbroek said he would be working directly with schools to ensure they had the resources needed to deliver a world-class education to Queensland kids, without needing to cut contact hours to achieve it.

“The Crisafulli Government will free up teachers from red tape and admin so they can spend more time in the classroom and in one-on-one time with the students who need it,” he said.

Mr Langbroek said Queensland students deserved a world class education and “shouldn’t be left to pay the price of Labor’s teacher shortage”.

“Our More Teachers, Better Education plan will address the teacher workforce crisis, provide better teacher support and resources, lift education standards and implement a zero-tolerance approach to violence and drug use in Queensland schools,” Mr Langbroek said.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Queensland Secondary Principals Association (QSPA) President Mark Breckenridge, who was consulted on the blueprint released by the Department of Education, said the consultation process was still underway with schools trialling it.

Mr Breckenridge said the new policy required schools to undergo a regular review of any alternative arrangements, which “wasn’t the case in the past”.

“So we’ve had schools that have been doing alternative arrangements for, say, senior students for many, many years, and they’ve never actually gone through a formal review process, some of them, so it’s a good thing that they now get reviewed and say, okay, ‘is this, is this still fit for purpose?’ ‘Is it still doing what we set out to do first introduced’?’”

Mr Breckenridge said “no conversations” around the policy had occurred following the new education minister’s appointment but that schools who had introduced it were happy with it.

“There’s a process in place that gives schools a framework to consult with their communities on any plans they might have to create flexible arrangements within the week, and that consultation includes things like transport and making sure students learning is covered, all of that sort of thing,” he said.

“Sometimes, when they go through the consultation process, they work out ‘this isn’t really going to work and that’s a good thing’, that’s what the consultation is there for to really have a close look at a proposal to see if it really is what is needed for the school.”

Mark Breckenridge President at Queensland Secondary Principals Association. AAP Image/Richard Gosling

A Department of Education spokeswoman said the making changes to school hours procedure provided a consistent and rigorous process for schools contemplating changes to school hours.

“The procedure requires a strong community consultation process to be undertaken by schools with a focus on understanding any issues for parents, students, school staff and stakeholders,” she said.

“The Department of Education supports students with a range of pathway options to successful futures and are committed to supporting every student to realise their potential, preparing them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed in life.”

According to the Department of Education, the procedure released at the end of 2023 was to ensure any school proposing to make a change to school hours undertook consultation with parents, teachers, and key stakeholders before approval for the change to school hours is considered by the Department.