❓ Hon Nick Goiran questions the Minister for Education regarding the expenditure on international teacher recruitment despite a pool of local teachers awaiting placement. The Minister defends the program, citing the need to ensure qualified teachers are always available and that local options are exhausted first.
AnsweredQoN 859Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHERS —
INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT
859. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Education:
I
refer to the supplementary information provided following the 2023–24
budget estimates hearing held on 25 June 2024 in which it was advised
that there are 1 558 non-international teachers in a recruitment pool awaiting
placement.
(1) Is the
minister aware that the department has spent more than $2.6 million to recruit
international teachers despite this significant number of Western Australian
teachers awaiting placement?
(2) How many
teacher vacancies were there at the start of term 3 that would justify this
continued expenditure by the department on this international recruitment
campaign?
(3) What role does the department
play in facilitating housing for these international recruits?
INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT
859. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Education:
I
refer to the supplementary information provided following the 2023–24
budget estimates hearing held on 25 June 2024 in which it was advised
that there are 1 558 non-international teachers in a recruitment pool awaiting
placement.
(1) Is the
minister aware that the department has spent more than $2.6 million to recruit
international teachers despite this significant number of Western Australian
teachers awaiting placement?
(2) How many
teacher vacancies were there at the start of term 3 that would justify this
continued expenditure by the department on this international recruitment
campaign?
(3) What role does the department
play in facilitating housing for these international recruits?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The amount
allocated for this program is not reflective of vacancies at any time but of the
need to ensure there is a qualified teacher
in front of every class all year and at all times. A teaching vacancy may be
filled in a number of ways, including casual internal relief, by a fixed-term
flying squad, and teaching outside areas of specialisation that may still
generate the need to consider international teacher appointments. The
appointment of an international teacher is considered only after all the local
options have been exhausted.
(3) On
arrival, international teachers are provided with temporary accommodation for
up to eight weeks while they await the arrival of personal possessions and
secure their housing or are provided with Government Regional Officers'
Housing. International teachers are provided with ongoing access to Government
Regional Officers' Housing only under the same conditions as
non-international teachers.
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) The amount
allocated for this program is not reflective of vacancies at any time but of the
need to ensure there is a qualified teacher
in front of every class all year and at all times. A teaching vacancy may be
filled in a number of ways, including casual internal relief, by a fixed-term
flying squad, and teaching outside areas of specialisation that may still
generate the need to consider international teacher appointments. The
appointment of an international teacher is considered only after all the local
options have been exhausted.
(3) On
arrival, international teachers are provided with temporary accommodation for
up to eight weeks while they await the arrival of personal possessions and
secure their housing or are provided with Government Regional Officers'
Housing. International teachers are provided with ongoing access to Government
Regional Officers' Housing only under the same conditions as
non-international teachers.
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