New ’overworked’ teachers quitting within five years

Public school teachers are quitting the classroom in record numbers with new State government figures showing resignations to have more than doubled in just two years.

Public school teachers are quitting the classroom in record numbers with new State government figures showing resignations to have more than doubled in just two years.

And in a catastrophic trend for schools, the number of new teachers walking out within five years of teaching has soared to a new high with almost one in five quitting profession last year.

The exclusive figures – contained in NSW Department of Education (DET) documents sighted by The Sunday Telegraph – shows just how big the challenge is ahead for the new Minns government in stemming the exodus, which is forcing principals to combine or cancel classes altogether.

And in a further headache for authorities, the resignations are set to continue with a separate federal government agency survey of teachers and principals showing the number of staff planning to quit being higher than those who plan to stay on until they reach retirement.

The NSW DET documents show 1854 permanent teachers walked away from their jobs last year – up from 929 in 2020.

Resignations of permanent full-time teachers in NSW have been growing steadily since 2016. Picture: iStock

The figures show resignations of permanent full-time teachers have been growing steadily since 2016 when just 626 teachers quit.

Among teachers just started out, 19 per cent – or almost one in five – quit within their first five years – up from 8.2 per cent just five years ago.

NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Damian Shaw

Some teachers did not even make it past their first year, with the figures showing 4.2 per cent walking out within the first 12 months – up from 1 per cent in 2018.

The figures follow the release of similarly alarming Australian Teacher Workforce Data figures, which show just one quarter of teachers say they will stay until retirement – down from 43.6 per cent in 2020.

The national survey of teachers and principals – conducted by federal government agency Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership – found “workload” and “coping” were cited by 91 per cent of teachers for wanting to leave.

Describing the new figures as “alarming”, NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos pointed the finger at the previous Coalition government which had turned a blind eye to the rising workload and falling salaries of teachers, which had prompted many to walk out.

“We are in serious danger of losing the future of the profession,” he said.

“These figures are a direct reflection of the unsustainable workloads and uncompetitive salaries of teachers

“Every year under the Coalition the workload of teachers rose and every year their salaries fell compared to other professions. Teachers are overworked and underpaid. It is as simple as that. If we don’t pay teachers what they are worth, we won’t get the teachers we need.”

In welcoming the commitment of the Minns government to axe the wage cap and reduce the workload of teachers, Mr Gavrielatos said he looked forward to negotiations “beginning as soon as possible”.