Nearly one in three NT principals vacated roles in 2020, with bulk of newly available posts going to locals

ALMOST a third of Territory principals left their jobs with the NT Education Department last year. But it’s not all bad news for the Territory

ALMOST a third of Territory principals left their job with the NT Education Department last year – with all but two new principals being locals.

The departures from the NT education system are a result of contracts ending, retirements, study leave and principals moving interstate.

Education Minister Lauren Moss said the 49 vacated positions had now been filled, predominantly by locals, with just one coming from Victoria and another from Queensland.

“We did lose a number of principals at the end of last year who were retiring after 30, 35 and 40 years of service to the Northern Territory,” Ms Moss said.

“And that’s an opportunity for us to be growing more of our own (principals) here in the Territory, and making sure that we’re recruiting and attracting the very best from across Australia.”

In total, six principals retired, four resigned, 17 completed their contracts, 12 won a promotion, seven were granted study leave and three took other leave.

Education Minister Lauren Moss and her daughter Evelyn Lutz, eight months, at Ludmilla Primary School. Picture: Glenn Campbell

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An Education Department spokeswoman said the department was not aware of any current pay disputes with executive contract principals.

Principals on executive contracts had been told to sign up to the government cost-cutting pay freeze or risk not having their contracts extended.

That decision, in 2019, created a stir among staff and the Australian Education Union.

AEUNT president Jarvis Ryan said the union was now working with the department to transition principals to permanent positions.

“There has been some lingering bitterness over the pay freeze, but there has been a willingness from the department to talk to principals to see what they can do to make sure there’s more clarity and fairness in their employment conditions in the future,” he said.

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“There is a plan to try to get that finished this year before we go into enterprise bargaining.”

Mr Jarvis said it was good to see all the positions filled before the school year began.

“It’s more sustainable to be trying to build a strong pool of leaders from within the workforce,” he said.

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