Six Queensland teachers, aides quitting per day, shock stats show

More than 1700 state school teachers and support staff have quit this year, as one former teacher reveals exactly what pushed her to resign after 22 years on the job.

More than 1700 Queensland state school teachers and support staff have quit the industry this year with resignations steadily rising post-pandemic to sit at rates of more than six per day.

One former teacher has blamed the pressure of the job, working on school holidays to meet demands, and teaching an “outdated” curriculum among the reasons she and other educators are leaving the sector.

Education Minster Grace Grace in response to a Question on Notice revealed 1207 state school teachers and 544 teacher aides had handed in resignations from January 1 to September 30 this year.

The industry “exodus” comes on the back of 1258 teacher and support staff resignations in 2020 and 1495 in 2021.

Queensland Education Minister Grace said teachers and teacher aides left the industry for several reasons, including to take up other educational opportunities in the sector.

Ms Grace said the state government had employed more than 3500 new teachers and more than 1500 teacher aides since 2020. The numbers came on top of 7500 extra teachers and aides employed from 2015 to 2020.

Education Minister Grace Grace speaking during Estimates Hearings at parliament. Picture: Tara Croser.

Ms Grace said the state employed 74,000 teachers and teacher aides and the state had a retention rate of 96 per cent.

“We are always looking at ways to bring the brightest and best to work in our schools, and that’s why our new enterprise bargaining deal, which is backed by 94 per cent of teachers, has some of the best pay and conditions in the country,” Ms Grace said.

“As well as increased incentives to work in regional and remote areas.”

Ms Grace said it was important to remember that the past few years had been an “atypical” period for schools working through the constraints of the pandemic.

Of the 1207 teacher resignations in 2022, 128 of the teachers had been suspended due to Covid-19 vaccine grounds.

The ex-teacher, who worked in the independent system, is one of the masses to have farewelled the industry in recent years after a 22-year career.

Kye Simmons, 48, said she had become burnt out from the expectations and pressures of the job and had grown disengaged trying to teach an “outdated” curriculum.

Like many current and former teachers, Ms Simmons said too much of the day was taken up with administrative tasks, so much so she lost a once-burning passion for the role.

“So much of time is taken up by data collecting, reporting, marking, the actual teaching side of things is only about 10 per cent of the job,” Ms Simmons said.

“You’d spend holidays working. I remember especially the September holidays trying to help stressed out students.

“You’d end up not having a weekend to myself and I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

Ms Simmons said she’d spoken to many ex-teachers part of the “exodus” from public and private schools who had highlighted the same issues.

Former Queensland teacher turned life coach Kye Simmons. Picture: Contributed

Ms Simmons said parts of the curriculum failed to address life skills required to help students navigate the transition into adulthood or tertiary education.

“Teenagers trying to learn about streets in ancient Rome, there was just no way for them to connect,” Ms Simmons said.

“The curriculum just didn’t resonate with the students.”

Another veteran teacher told The Courier-Mail that teachers were overburdened with paperwork, reporting and administration.

The teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said 2022 workloads were “excessive, unrealistic and unsustainable”.

Opposition Education spokesman Dr Christian Rowan said the shortages created a negative effect on both students and teachers.

Dr Rowan said the state government had an obligation to ensure student and educational outcomes were met to the standards expected of the education system.

“Additional relief teachers, improved graduate teacher recruitment strategies and opportunities for teachers to provide both online and digital education lessons where appropriate,” Dr Rowan said.

“Parents, teachers and students want the state government to clarify how it is going to address these issues.”

Ms Grace hit back at Dr Rowan’s comments

“I’ve yet to see a single costed policy from the Dr Rowan,” Ms Grace said.

“The LNP has no plan other than to cut, sack, and sell, again.”

She further accused LNP of cutting more than 500 teaching positions and 700 educational support staff when it was last in power.

Ms Grace said the state had several strategies to provide a renewed focus to supporting teacher and teacher aides.