Victorian school camps being cancelled, teachers being asked to volunteer on trips

Victorian state schools are cancelling camps or asking teachers to “volunteer” their time without compensation because of the cost.

Schools are cancelling camps due to being short on funds.

VICTORIAN state schools are cancelling camps and asking teachers to “volunteer” their time without compensation as new industrial conditions start to bite.

Under a new enterprise agreement, for the first time ever, teachers are supposed to get time off in lieu for going on camps.

However, schools short of funds and staff are instead asking teachers to go on camps without giving them time off or sending principals who do not get time in lieu for doing overtime.

Some are relying on parents to step in and go on camps instead of teachers or cancelling them altogether.

Brighton MP James Newbury said families were left “outraged” after school camps at Brighton Secondary College were cancelled this year.

He has been campaigning on the issue along with Warrandyte MP Ryan Smith who said camps “should not be at risk just because the government is refusing to fund elements of their own workplace agreement”.

School camps at Brighton Secondary College were cancelled this year.

At one north Melbourne primary school, parents are being asked to volunteer as camp supervisors and parents are fundraising to meet the camp costs.

The school is also shortening some camps and considering cancelling others.

Another outer eastern primary school has cancelled its year three camp but is still holding its year six camp.

At one northeastern high school the principal went on the school camp in order to save $2000 from school coffers.

The moves come as Victorian parents are paying more in state school fees than parents in any other state – an average of $711 per full-time student, well above the national average of $488.

A directive from the Australian Education Union sent to members notes that some teachers are getting time in lieu for camp attendance but other schools are relying on ‘volunteering’.

It notes that “members cannot and should not be asked to volunteer”.

The union and the Department of Education are in the Fair Work Commission over the issue.

PGL Adventure Camps managing director Carl Stanforth said some schools have reduced the duration of their camps or cancelled their camp programs altogether due to budget constraints.

“We have definitely seen the effects of recent time in lieu provisions for teachers at our Victorian camps,” he said.

Outdoors Victoria chief executive Andrew Knight said he hoped for extra funds for teacher time in lieu.

“We need to get across this swiftly – it is a widespread problem that is going to affect every state government school, most catholic schools and down the track independent schools too.”

Greens MP Ellen Sandell said her party is also calling on the government to provide additional funding in this year’s budget to ensure schools don’t have to cancel school camps.

“It’s awful that kids are missing out on school camps because the Victorian Labor Government hasn’t provided adequate funding for the new teaching enterprise bargaining agreement.”

A Department of Education spokesman said schools have been told there is a “strong expectation that camps and excursions should go ahead as normal because time in lieu is an existing obligation under Fair Work”.

“Schools are provided with an annual funding budget for staff salaries and casual relief teachers, and the department works with schools in instances where additional funding may be required for extra casual relief teachers,” the spokesman said.

“We’re working with Brighton Secondary College and supporting them to ensure that they continue to offer their high-quality program, inclusive of extra-curricular activities for students featuring school camps.”

Australian Education Union president Meredith Peace said schools should not be relying on the free labour of staff.

“Public schools still don’t get the same level of funding as private schools and they are left to make difficult decisions,” she said.

“Many schools are reviewing activities to consider what has the most impact or bringing some inside the school week.”