Victorian parents could soon have to juggle three more pupil-free days
Victorian parents could soon be forced to juggle more curriculum days, with teachers expected to pitch a new deal for more planning days.
State schools have five pupil-free days a year, but that could increase to eight under a new agreement expected to be negotiated next year.
If implemented, the extra curriculum days would bring Victoria in line with NSW.
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Victorian parents could soon be forced to juggle more curriculum days, with teachers expected to pitch a new deal for more planning days. Nine
Research has found Victorian teachers are working up to 12.5 hours of unpaid overtime every week, while principals are clocking close to 20 hours.
The opposition says the state government needs to focus on relieving honorous workloads and extra admin duties that are leading to burnout.
"There are 2400 teacher vacancies in Victoria," opposition leader John Pesutto said.
"Teachers are struggling with the workload they're facing on behalf of their job educating young Victorians."
Australian Education Union's Victorian president Meredith Peace said the union hoped new negotiations would help relieve some of that burden and give them more time for planning.
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Research has found Victorian teachers are working up to 12.5 hours of unpaid overtime every week, while principals are clocking close to 20 hours. Nine
"Teachers actually need time to develop the curriculum, do all the planning, work with their colleagues, look at appropriate data," Peace said.
"All of that work takes time."
But parents say the juggling act that comes with pupil-free days is diificult enough as it is.
"It is hard to balance, I'm not going to lie there ... maybe less is a little better," one parent told 9News.
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