More than 40 not-for-profit community preschools across Northern NSW say they are joining a day of action on Wednesday (tomorrow), with teachers, educators, families and supporters rallying in Lismore to ‘demand the NSW Government address a deepening workforce crisis’.
The Quad rally
The media release by the Northern Rivers Preschool Alliance reads, ‘Participants will gather at Spinks Park before moving to The Quad for a 9am rally, alongside coordinated actions across the state, including a major protest in Sydney’.
‘This follows an earlier rally in October last year, urging the NSW government to act. Earlier this year, the Fair Work Commission recommended that the NSW Government review and increase funding to lift wages and conditions in the sector, however preschools are frustrated by the government’s inaction on the issue.
Increase funding needed
‘The Northern Rivers Preschool Alliance is calling on the NSW Government to urgently increase funding so community preschools can attract and retain qualified teachers and educators.
‘Despite delivering high-quality early education and maintaining strong safety records, community preschools are struggling to compete on wages. Teachers earn up to 35% less than their counterparts in schools and up to 15% less than those in long day care centres. Without a funding increase, preschools will have no option but to cap enrolments or increase fees for families already facing cost-of-living pressures’.
Bridget Isichei, President of the Northern Rivers Preschool Alliance and Director of Byron Bay Preschool, said the situation is reaching breaking point.
‘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.’
‘Teachers paid less than their counterparts in public preschools and long daycare settings’
‘We cannot fund fair wages without government support. Current funding levels are too low. Community preschool teachers are paid less than their counterparts in public preschools and long daycare settings. It’s urgent that the New South Wales government increase funding to support community preschools to pay their teachers and educators fairly.’
‘Local preschool teachers and directors are being asked to do more, with no additional funding, during a staffing crisis,” she said
‘Preschool is a flagship model with children’s wellbeing and safety at its heart,” Isichei said.
‘We must act now to protect it.”
‘There are more than 700 community preschools across NSW, including over 40 in the Northern Rivers, providing vital early education for children aged three to five.
Start Strong, Pay Fair campaign
‘The Day of Action forms part of the Start Strong, Pay Fair campaign, led by the Independent Education Union, which has been calling on the NSW Government for more than two years to fund pay increases that properly value early childhood educators.
‘Community preschools are widely recognised as a high-quality model of early childhood education, with many rated as exceeding the National Quality Standard and maintaining very low rates of safety breaches.
‘However, recent NSW Government proposals to extend operating hours and expand services have not been matched with funding for wages or staffing.
Bridget Isichei added, ‘Local preschool teachers and directors are being asked to do more, with no additional funding, during a staffing crisis. Preschool is a flagship model with children’s wellbeing and safety at its heart.’
‘We must act now to protect it’.
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