NSW teacher shortage trends downwards

THE teacher shortage crisis is easing with the NSW government releasing new figures showing public school teacher vacancies have dropped by 24 per cent in the past 12 months.

Vacancies dropped by 20 per cent earlier in 2024 and by 35 per cent compared to 2022 under the previous Coalition government.

New data shows resignations and retirements have also dropped as the government works to stem the flow of teachers leaving NSW schools. There remain 1,698 vacancies across NSW’s 2,200 public schools.

At the height of the teacher shortage crisis under the former government, vacancies rose above 3,000, and resignations outstripped retirements.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said Labor was elected to rebuild essential services after a decade of neglect under the former government.

“While we still have much to do to turn around the teacher shortage, we have seen a sustained drop in vacancies since the start of this year,” she said.

“These further improved figures show the steps we are taking to address the teacher shortage crisis are making a difference.”

Other initiatives by the government include delivering the most significant pay rise to public school teachers in decades and improving teachers’ workload and conditions by providing permanent roles to more than 16,000 temporary teachers and support staff. Permanent teachers now comprise 72 per cent of the teaching workforce, up from 64 per cent in 2022.

Other initiatives include the Grow Your Own Teacher Training program, which supports aspiring teachers to study while working in a local public school, and the Teachers in the Field program, which supports regional, rural and remote schools to access teacher relief cover.

“Having a qualified teacher at the front of every classroom is vital to delivering improved academic outcomes for our students,” Ms Car said.