That is the revelation from Finley NSW Teachers Federation branch secretary Matt Whitty, who said the Year 11 and 12 students are working on teacher prepared lessons in the school library under minimal supervision because there are no teachers available.
And Mr Whitty said this type of impact is not unique to senior students, or Southern Riverina schools for that matter.
Other district teachers have reported similar situations, with some saying class sizes have swelled to up to 30 students just to ensure there’s enough teachers to go around.
Mr Whitty said while COVID-19 and its associated regulations are at play in what we’re seeing in schools this week, he said the issues in education pre-date the pandemic.
He says a long-term refusal by the NSW Government to address teaching shortages, and pay and conditions, has resulted in a worsening shortage.
And with fewer people choosing education as a career, there will be no reprieve without serious intervention.
At Finley High School yesterday, six teachers were out sick or on leave.
Mr Whitty said the school had just one causal teacher to call on to cover those missing staff.
“We just don’t have the teachers out there,” Mr Whitty said.
“Our casuals are brilliant, but even they are exhausted and having to call in sick.
“And this sort of shortage existed before COVID-19.
“The workload is unsustainable, and there is a lack of teachers right across the state.
“It goes hand-in-hand with our pay claims, because if the salary is not attractive, and we don’t have adequate incentives, we are continually looked over when it comes to teaching positions.
“Finley High School has had to advertise a number of teaching positions twice, and they are still not filled.”
Mr Whitty said the government response to the crisis has been deafening.
“The government has acknowledged there are workload issues, but it is still not negotiating or recognising the real issues.
“It is a sad indictment that teachers, nurses and transport union workers are all striking with similar complaints.
“Our universities are not producing teachers, because many see no reason to go in to teaching.
“And recent surveys have shown that up to 70 per cent of our existing teachers are considering leaving the profession.
“Something has to change.”
Across NSW there are 2500 permanent teaching vacancies, and NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has “failed students, their parents, and the teaching profession”.
He said with inflation where it is, the wage increase proposed by the government is actually a pay cut for teachers.
“If we don’t pay teachers what they are worth, we won’t get the teachers we need,” he said.
“That the government is pursuing a new award that seeks to impose a 2.04 per cent salary cap, with no change to the crippling working conditions experienced by the profession for a three-year period, is contemptuous.
“At a time when inflation is running at 3.5 per cent and predicted to grow, this would constitute a cut to teachers’ real income.
“Acting on uncompetitive salaries and unsustainable workloads is the only way to stop more teachers leaving and attract the people into the profession we need to fix the shortages.
“The profession is now left with no alternative but to act in the interest of our students and our profession, and take industrial action.”
Local teachers will today meet to hear from Mr Gavrielatos via a live broadcast.