Speaker 18th April
Our speaker was Sasha Kober who gave a very thoughtful and researched, personal reflection on “The state of State Education”.
Sasha has been teaching at Princes Hill High for 20 years and is a passionate advocate of “quality free accessible education”.
Despite its problems, Victorian education delivers the best attendance rates and NAPLAN scores and less difference across private/public divide, in the nation.
Major issues:
Teacher attraction and retention. 50% of graduates not teaching within 5years. Despite reasonable salaries the quantity and quality of work is unrealistic and the social aspects of teaching cause “burn out”
Inequality within and between schools is largely determined by socio-economic factors, school choice and quality of teachers.
Funding. Recommendations of funding recommended by Gonski over a decade ago were not implemented because of politics. Currently being readdressed.
Social perceptions. The ambivalence to the profession within the community is a hindrance to recruitment.
Sasha concluded stating how teaching for him was a deeply rewarding profession.