Education undervalued

Education is one of those issues that is always on the public agenda. Teachers are constantly criticised for their methods and expected to take on more of the tasks of raising the citizens of the future. Despite the criticisms, most teachers work hard to provide a good education for their students. And yet, is there a job that is more undervalued?

Teachers have never been particularly well paid. Graduates get above the average for a graduate employee across the fields, but the relative salary quickly drops down the list and after ten years, if a teacher wants to stay in the classroom, there are no more pay rises. However, the situation in Queensland non government schools is especially bad.

My husband has just been offered a job as a teacher in a Queensland Catholic school. According to my readings of the award, if he were to take this job, his salary would be $9000 less per annum than if he worked in a state school and at least $13000 less than if we had stayed in New South Wales.

No wonder most education graduates get out of teaching as soon as they can. The salary, combined with the everyday difficulties of classroom management, means that there is no incentive to make a career in teaching.

Perhaps when all the baby boomer teachers retire and there are 50 kids in a class, someone will wake up and pay teachers what they are worth. Until then, education graduates will continue to seek employment elsewhere.