UTS has cut the employment of academic staff in their primary teaching degree

The University of Technology Sydney has cut academic staff jobs in their primary teaching, less than a year after shelving the teaching degree.

The University of Technology Sydney has cut academic staff jobs in their primary teaching degree, saying it was losing money and struggling during the pandemic.

But students studying education, who are in the middle of their spring session and completing their school placements, say they have been “completely left in the dark” by the decision and its impact on their degree.

It has prompted president of the UTS Education Society Adeline Cabral and vice-president Sonia Baroi to start a petition on Sunday on behalf of the affected students, which has already reached over 600 signatures.

“This degree has provided NSW with many outstanding Primary and Secondary qualified teachers,” the change.org petition read.

“UTS provides education students ample opportunities to undertake professional practice throughout the degree – unlike many other Education degrees throughout NSW. This degree enables UTS to support its commitment to support social change beyond the campus.

UTS education students Adeline Cabral (left) and Sonia Baroi (right) Picture: supplied

“Teachers are the profession that creates all professions. With the termination of academic education staff, how will our future teachers learn the valuable knowledge to become teachers and graduate from their degree?.”

A spokeswoman for UTS said while they “regret” any jobs lost, they will be consulting with staff and their unions on Monday to “keep with its Enterprise Agreement”.

“The University of Technology Sydney greatly regrets any job losses, and has been working hard to prevent them by making savings in other areas,” the spokeswoman said.

“However the size of the financial impact of the global pandemic on the university means they are unfortunately necessary.

“Within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences salary savings have been required, and after considerable work on mitigating factors, the proposed impact on staff would be about the equivalent of 7 continuing staff positions and 3 fixed-term.”

The spokeswoman added that students will be taught until they are able to complete their degree.

In October last year, UTS unexpectedly shelved its primary teaching degree, saying it was losing money and struggling to attract students because of government-imposed academic standards for trainee teachers.

UTS’ BEd (Primary) degree was also removed from the 2021 University Admissions Centre (UAC) guide.

In October last year, UTS shelved its primary teaching degree. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Students studying the degree were told they could finish it, and there will be a small first-year cohort this year of deferred and repeating students. The secondary education degree was also cancelled with UAC, and instead offered as a masters degree.

UTS is ranked ninth in Australia in the World University Rankings top 1000 and 133 in the QS World University Rankings 2022.

But students say the university’s recent decisions will jeopardise the future academic performance.

And like many universities, UTS’s revenue from international students has been hit hard by border closures related to Covid-19.

However, the education degree is not financially reliant on international students.

“With the main population of this degree being domestic students, it is extremely disappointing that education students and staff are not being supported by their university, who are known for their innovative teaching,” the petition said.

“The education staff genuinely care for their students and strive to support them on every step there is in becoming a teacher.”