Regional teacher shortage: More than 400 vacancies to be filled

Regional Victorian state schools are crying out for staff with more than 400 vacancies to be filled. See which towns are most affected.

Regional Victorian state schools currently have almost 400 job vacancies to be filled, in a “deeply concerning” shortage of staff across the education system.

Positions vacant in rural, remote and regional schools account for well over a third of the total of 1500 jobs currently open across Victoria.

The figures, obtained from the Department of Education’s recruitment site, reveal 213 teacher jobs, 143 support roles and 12 principal and five assistant principal positions require filling.

Secondary schools need 121 teachers, and primary schools need 63 teachers.

Australian Education Union Victorian branch president Meredith Peace said schools with continuing vacancies have been forced to put stop-gap measures in place to ensure classes have teachers.
These include employing casual relief teachers, redeploying staff from other programs, reducing curriculum offerings and combining classes.

“It is deeply concerning that many schools, particularly those in metropolitan suburbs with high population growth, regional, and remote areas have started the 2023 school year without the permanent teachers they need to staff their programs,” she said.

Ms Peace called on the Victorian and federal governments to immediately address “the lack of planning and allocation of additional resources” that has resulted in the shortages.

AEU Victoria president Meredith Peace.

More than 90 staff are needed in the north-western region; 134 in the north-eastern; 76 in the south-western; and 79 in the south-eastern region.

The data also shows 51 teacher aides, 36 integration aides and 33 graduate teachers are needed.

Of the 381 overall vacancies online on Tuesday afternoon for regional Victoria, there were a total of 41 in Greater Shepparton, followed by Mitchell (30), Swan Hill (23), Wellington (18), Ballarat (19) and Greater Bendigo (16).

There were 18 in Mildura, followed by Alpine Shire (12), Campaspe (12), Baw Baw (11), Bass Coast (9), South Gippsland (8), Benalla (7), Colac-Otway (5) and Northern Grampians and Moira (5 each).

Teachers were also needed across a range of disciplines with a shortfall of 37 mathematics teachers; 35 in English; 34 science teachers; and 20 physical education needed.

The National Teacher Workforce Action Plan was signed off by education ministers late last year and aims to address what Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has described as a national teacher shortage crisis.