Susanna Freymark
Evans Head and Woodburn preschools directors Michelle Stanley and Cath Gillespie are urging everyone to join the Day of Action in support of non-profit preschools in Lismore this Wednesday, October 15.
There are protests in Sydney and the Northern Rivers where thousands of teachers and educators are expected to gather outside NSW Parliament and at Spinks Park, Lismore.
Read more about the Day of Action here.
The Northern Rivers Preschool Alliance, representing more than 40 non-profit preschools in Northern NSW is calling on the State Government to provide funding to help community preschools attract and retain teachers and educators.
“NSW preschool educators are paid 30% less than teachers in other sectors,” Ms Stanley said.
This puts a burden on state funded preschools as they struggle to keep their highly qualified staff. Teachers in community preschools earn up to 35% less than their colleagues with the same qualifications and responsibilities in schools and up to 20% less than teachers in Commonwealth-funded long day care centres.
The State Government announced a plan for community preschools to extend operating hours, open more days, and cater for children from birth through to school age, however declined to provide any funding for wages or staff costs.
Ms Gillespie said the model used for non-profit preschool was a good one because it was best for children.
Non-profit community preschools are the safest model of education and care for children, with many preschools rated by the Department of Education as exceeding the National Quality Standard, and very low rates of safety breaches.
“If you don’t pay people the right wages, they’ll go elsewhere,” she said.
Northern Rivers Preschool Alliance president Bridget Isichei, based in Byron Bay said: “We’re experiencing a staffing crisis that is growing by the day, as experienced teachers and educators leave the sector and community preschools struggle to attract new staff. We cannot fund wages without government support as the current funding is too low.”
There are more than 700 community preschools across NSW that provide a vital service to educate and care for children aged three to five years, and over 40 of these are in the Northern Rivers region.
Northern Rivers Day of Action
Wednesday, October 15
Spinks Park, Lismore
8.45am-10am