Anti-autonomy stance ‘shows Daniel Andrews in thrall of teachers union’
DANIEL Andrews’ plan to wind back school autonomy shows the Victorian Labor government is ‘too close to the teachers’ union’.
NATIONAL curriculum reviewer Kevin Donnelly has expressed concern about Daniel Andrews’s plan to wind back school autonomy, saying it indicates the new Victorian Labor government is too close to the teachers’ union.
The Australian Catholic University senior research fellow and co-head of the Abbott government-commissioned national curriculum review said he feared Victoria’s reputation as a leader on autonomy was under threat.
Victorian Education Minister James Merlino has indicated he intends to end the Napthine government’s “autonomy agenda” and employ more education officials and other departmental staff to give principals the support Labor says they have lacked.
Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday dismissed claims his government’s education policy was being excessively influenced by the union.
“No, and I want to be very clear with you: I make no apology for ending what the Liberal Party called autonomy and what I know, principals know, teachers know and parents know to be cutting loose,” Mr Andrews said.
“The Liberal Party talk about autonomy. What they really mean is cutting in so many areas and leaving schools adrift, on their own, without the support that Labor is always called upon to provide, is always motivated to provide and it’s what this Labor government will provide.”
Dr Donnelly said the move was “regressive”, and both Liberal and Labor governments in Victoria had supported school autonomy for more than 20 years.
“Autonomy shouldn’t be seen as a Liberal government initiative,” Dr Donnelly said. “It has received bipartisan support, in line with research here and overseas which demonstrates more autonomy leads to better outcomes.”
He said he had always argued autonomy did not mean complete freedom, and had to involve some accountability.
“Not all schools and communities are ready, and as (federal Education Minister) Christopher Pyne has said, it should be voluntary,” he said. “It’s very important there’s overall accountability, and that principals and school communities are well supported and resourced, and have the necessary expertise.”
Asked whether the Napthine government had cut necessary support to principals and school communities in the name of autonomy, Dr Donnelly said he was not close enough to state politics to know whether that was true. “What I do fear is that Labor governments in Victoria historically have been too close to the education union,” he said.
“The unions have campaigned for Labor and I am fearful that if the union has increased control over government policy, that will be counter-productive.”
Dr Donnelly said another elephant in the room was excessive red tape and “intrusive regulations about teacher performance and accountability”, which meant teachers and principals were forced to devote more time to administration rather than teaching.
“If Andrews was fair dinkum about making the job of principals easier, he would be looking at this,” Dr Donnelly said.
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