NationalOutlook

March 2010

Our Diverse Schooling System – Building a More Socially Cohesive AustraliaThe IEUA National Symposium on Diversity in Education will be held on 17th March 2010 at Old Parliament House in Canberra and will provide opportunities for debate and discussion on the need for the recognition of diversity within the Australian education system. In addition to an opening address by Deputy Prime Minister Gillard, the Symposium will receive a report commissioned by the IEUA and conducted by the Edmund Rice Centre on the role of non-government schools in building social capital through Bonding, Bridging and Linking.

The Symposium will hear from a number of other preeminent speakers including: Father Frank Brennan SJ AO; Dr Patricia Hindmarsh, Director Catholic Education Office, Hobart; Osman Karolia, Principal Arkana College, Kingsgrove NSW; Stephen O’Doherty, CEO of Christian Schools Association; Justice Stephen Rothman, Judge of Supreme Court and Barry Wallet, Deputy Executive Director Independent Schools Council of Australia.

The National Officers’ Seminar will follow the next day and will provide Branch officers an opportunity to debate and strategise the outcomes of the Symposium.

Education NewsSchool Reporting – My School WebsiteThe Federal Executive of the IEUA met on Friday 26th February 2010 in Melbourne and has called upon ACARA to immediately undertake a formal review of the MySchool website and the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage.

Recommendation:That Executive notes with concern the publication of league tables in both the print and electronic media following the launch of the MySchool website by ACARA

Executive condemns the behaviour of those in the media who have sought to misuse the MySchool data for sensationalists, opportunistic reporting.

The Executive also notes with disappointment the particular focus placed on independent schools in particular by both the Chair of ACARA and the media

The Executive remains concerned about the quality and presentation of student data on the MySchool website, the validity of the ICSEA as an identifier of the like schools and the nonsensical grouping of many schools in the “Like Schools” website listing.

Accordingly, the Executive calls upon ACARA to immediately undertake a formal review of the My School website including an examination of the ICSEA.

Executive requests that:• the current “Like Schools” comparisons be removed until further validation of ICSEA;• following a review of the ICSEA proxy that the Index be used as a point of comparison rather than a “sorting” mechanism;• reporting of students’ average scores be replaced with an alternative proxy such as a graphical representation of relative performance or a measure of percentage achievement above minimum benchmarks; and that• schools with less than 15 students in NAPLAN not have student data reported against in any comparative measures.

The Executive calls upon ACARA to negotiate with the IEUA on the appropriateness of and the development of the appropriate protocols for the collection and reporting of school information in relation to the “value-added” result, school resourcing data and any proposed “satisfaction” survey.

National CurriculumThe Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority has released its draft K-10 Australian Curriculum in four learning areas: English, Mathematics, Science and History for national consultation. Consultation will conclude on 23 May 2010. Branches can register at www.australiancurriculum.edu.au to respond to the proposed national curriculum in each subject area.

The consultation period from (1 March – 23 May 2010) hardly allows sufficent time for our members to read, absorb, reflect against current curriculum and respond in a way that such a mammoth change requires and deserves.

While the IEUA has long supported a national curriculum we have consistently urged for mechanisms which would ensure that its development and implementation were well conceived, developed and supported.

The success of the National Curriculum will depend on the extent that teacher engagement and resources are applied at the State and Territory level. The IEUA has called for all State and territory jurisdictions to immediately establish broad stakeholder National Curriculum Consultation Committees in K-6, 7-10 and senior years groupings to work on each subject area and consider its local implementation.

IEUA Committee NewsOrganising Campaigning2009 Organiser Workshop – “Developing Stronger Collectives In Low Organised Schools”In September, about 30 organisers from the various Branches met to consider the question: What can be

done within and across branches to develop stronger collectives in low or hard to organise schools?In doing so, participants were provided with an opportunity to identify common issues and best practice strategies associated with developing low organised schools. Participants were also provided with opportunities to develop strategies using the Fair Work Act as an organising tool and time to consider a developmental/campaign plan.

Indigenous Issues CommitteeFollowing recommendations at the 2009 National Officers’ Seminar, the IEUA has established the Indigenous Issues Committee.

The IEUA Indigenous Issues Committee will provide support to IEUA Branches in regards to indigenous issues by closely interacting with the various other IEUA committees in the development of strategies and resources which:• aim at achieving equity of access and participation in education for Indigenous students in non-

government schools; • enhance the salaries, classifications and working conditions of Indigenous employees in non–

government schools, including the ongoing review and analysis of best practice conditions across the Nation;

• challenge and address issues of discrimination and inequity in the workforce;• assist in lobbying governments to enact appropriate legislation where necessary and hold governments

accountable to appropriate resourcing to meet the COAG targets;• assist union organisers to build relationships with Indigenous communities and with Indigenous

employees;• educate union organisers and Indigenous members on current issues and matters pertaining to

Indigenous education and Indigenous employees• identify, encourage and support recruitment, retention, activism of Indigenous members; and• encourage and support the participation of Indigenous members in union structures and in organising

and campaigning activities.

Nominations from Branches for committee membership have been called.

Industrial CommitteeModern awards commenced on 1 January 2010 and will replace all existing Federal Awards. Most state awards will continue to operate until 1 January 2011.

There are now 4 awards that impact on our members. They are: Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010 Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2010 Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award 2010 Children’s Services Award 2010

With the completion of these modern awards, the Industrial Committee will now turn its attention to the impact of their introduction and provide advice to branches.

Further information regarding the modern awards is located at http://www.ieu.org.au/255.html

International Women’s Day – 8 March 2010: Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All.This year marks the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. In recognition of this important anniversary, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day – which is observed worldwide on 8 March – is “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All.” An IEUA Speaks has been distributed to Branches providing information the Beijing Declaration.

Branch NewsProfessional Rates of PayAcross Australia, IEU branches have been active in their campaign for professional wages to attract graduate teachers and to retain quality experienced teachers. Negotiations with the various non-government employing authorities in particular have been frustratingly slow, resulting in union member action in the form of stop work meetings, full day strikes and protest rallies.To date, teachers in Queensland and South Australian Catholic sectors remain locked in difficult negotiations. Member action will continue into the new 2010 school year.

Further information regarding branches campaign for professional rates of pay is located at www.qieu.asn.auand www.ieusa.org.au

Branch Strategic PlanningBranches have spent the beginning of 2010 giving consideration to the impact of these new federal laws on the industrial and organising work of the branch. The federal office has participated in sessions with organisers and committee of management, brainstorming strategies and goals for 2010 and beyond.

Federal Council MeetingThe IEUA Federal Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday 18th March from 2.30pm at Old Parliament House, Canberra.

International NewsCrisis in FijiFiji’s political woes continue unabated under Commodore Frank Bainamarama who took power in the 2006 coup. On 31 December 2009, the President of the Republic of Fiji and Commander in Chief brought in the decree on regulation of pensions and retirement of allowances.

This decree will order the cessation of any allowance, salary or pension if the Prime Minister is satisfied that the person has acted in any way, whether before or after the commencement of the Decree, to:(a) bring hatred or contempt or disaffection against the Government of the Republic of Fiji, or any

institution or authority of the Government; or(b) undermine the Government of the Republic of Fiji, or any institution or authority of the Government,

or, in any way, to prejudice the orderly functioning or operation of the Government or any institution or authority of the Government; or

(c) promote or incite feelings of ill-will and hostility amongst the different classes of population in Fiji; or(d) bring hatred or contempt or disaffection against the administration of justice or the judiciary; or(e) undermine the administration of justice or the judiciary, or, in any way, to prejudice the orderly

functioning or operation of the judiciary; or(f) incite communal antagonism or racial discontent or disaffection amongst the inhabitants of Fiji or

against the Government of the Republic of Fiji, or any institution or authority of the Government.

The Prime Minister’s decision is not to be challenged:4. No court, tribunal, commission or any other adjudicating body shall have the jurisdiction to accept,

hear, determine or in any other way entertain, any challenges whatsoever (including any application for judicial review) by any person or body, or to grant any remedy to any person or body, in relation to the validity, legality or propriety of any action, decision or order of the Prime Minister under this Decree.

At its February meeting, the IEUA executive condemned Decree 56 as a direct attack on the Human Rights of Fijian citizens which struck at the most vulnerable of citizens – the aged.

The Federal Office will raise its concerns with Federal Minister Duncan Kerr on 15 March 2010.

Council of Pacific Education - Alisi Fusi Wightman ScholarshipEstablished in 1991, COPE runs a scholarship program for two female union activists in honour of Alisi Fusi Wightman who was an activist in the Fijian Teachers’ Association in the 1970s and 1980s. The scholarship focuses on developing and strengthening union and professional skills in order to increase their knowledge and confidence. Recipients spend one week in Australia meeting with representatives of the Independent Education Union of Australia and the Australian Education Union and then a further week in New Zealand with PPTA and NZEI.

This year, Jenny R Kome, the National Women’s representative from Papua New Guinea Teachers’ Association and Firiam Marguerite, President of the Women’s Network of Vanuatu Teachers’ Union took up their educational visits to Australia and New Zealand from 2nd October to the 17th October 2009 and had an opportunity to visit VIEU and meet via teleconference with the IEUA Women’s and Equity committee

EI World First Women’s Conference - Bangkok On 19 - 22 May 2010 the World’s First Conference of Women will be conducted by EI and held in Bangkok. The Conference On the Move for Equality will be an interactive and participatory discussion forum around three main themes on the equality agenda. The three main themes of the Conference are:

• Connecting and Strengthening the EI Women’s Networks:

• Taking Stock of the Status of Women in Today’s World:

• Advancing and Empowering Girls and Women Through Education:

Representatives from the IEUA Women’s and Equity Committee will be in attendance and facilitating various workshops.