Wednesday, 16 October 2024

 Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (12:59): (1162) My question is for the Minister for Education. There are growing concerns about a significant increase in the use of casual relief teachers in Victorian public schools, which has resulted in more than $365 million spent on casual relief teachers wages from May 2023 to May 2024, with some schools now spending an average of $243,000 annually on replacement staff. Could the minister please provide an update on what steps the government is taking to address teacher shortages, reduce reliance on CRTs and ensure the long-term stability of our education system? Parents in my electorate have raised concerns about whether reliance on CRTs will affect their school and their children’s education, particularly in schools across the north-west in places such as Manor Lakes, Wyndham and Sydenham, where shortages of staff are severe. The trend disrupts the stability of learning environments and places additional stress on schools already managing teacher burnout and turnover.