Overseas travel: 116 NSW teachers spent $1m in taxpayer funds to visit 20 countries
An eye-watering amount of taxpayer funds was used to send teachers and principals on lavish overseas trips last year. SEE WHERE THEY WENT AND HOW MUCH WAS SPENT HERE.
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Jetsetting teachers and principals travelling to 20 different countries around the world spent more than $1 million in taxpayer funds in the last year alone.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell was quizzed by NSW Labor in the Upper House over the amount of taxpayer funds used by 116 Education Department staff to travel overseas last year.
She revealed 55 teachers, 30 principals and a handful of school directors and support staff travelled to countries across Europe, Asia, North America and New Zealand.
Ms Mitchell said a total of 116 staff costed taxpayers $1,011,214 in 2019, averaging around $8717 per person.
An Education Department spokeswoman told NewsLocal $141,000 was spent on study tours to improve professional development, $214,000 to supervise international school excursions and $655,000 for staff who have been awarded scholarships to further their skills and knowledge.
“Scholarships involve sending some of our best teachers and principals to other countries where they can learn and bring back innovative ideas and best practice to improve our education system” she said. “We strive to continually improve the skills and expertise of our staff.”
The spokeswoman said the department was unable to provide a breakdown of expenditure from staff travelling overseas or the amount of funds allocated daily to teachers and principals for accommodation, food and other expenses.
The Education Department also declined to provide expenditure of overseas travel by staff in 2017 and 2018, however annual reports showed a total of 39 education department staff travelled overseas at taxpayer’s expense in 2018 to attend conferences and professional development (9), recruit international students (23) and accompany students on excursions (7).
While in 2017, 60 staff travelled on public funds with 17 teachers visiting for professional development, 27 recruiting fee-paying international students, two on “educational export” programs and 14 on student excursions.
Last year the Education Department spent a whopping $26.49 million on “travelling and sustenance”, while a further $23.18 million was spent in 2018.
Shadow Education spokeswoman Prue Car questioned the government’s spending.
“The Liberals need to explain how they justify high departmental expenses on travel under their watch,” she said. “When almost 100 promised school building projects are unfunded and stuck in planning limbo.”