We have a crisis in leadership. People are walking away from the job because of the challenges, the demands and the competing expectations.

Tina King: Transcript of Evidence, 12 June 2024 pp174 (The Report)

The Victorian Legislative Council’s Legal and Social Issues Committee report (The Report) on the State Education System offers a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing education in Victoria.

The APF provided a written submission to the Inquiry, with Colin Axup (President VASSP) and Tina King invited to make a joint appearance before the committee in June this year.

There is a strong correlation between The Report findings and the APF's advocacy, particularly regarding the need for increased and equitable school funding, addressing teacher shortages and retention, and tackling leadership challenges that are causing current leaders to abandon their roles and deterring prospective principals from pursuing leadership positions.

In relation to the latter, The Report (pp 175) states in part:

The Departments five-pronged approach to address teaching workforce challenges does not include a specific policy for principals.
There are several policies and initiatives in place to assist with principal workloads…However, these supports do not amount to a cohesive, targeted policy.
References were made within The Report to the VAGO Inquiry into Principal Health and Wellbeing. VAGO reviewed the effectiveness of strategy concluding:

The department is not effectively protecting the health and wellbeing of its school principals. The department has identified the key challenges that principals face. It has developed numerous strategies and initiatives to address them. Many principals use and appreciate these services. However, they have not improved principals’ health and wellbeing.

(Victorian Auditor-General’s Office: Principal Health and Wellbeing pp1)

The Report makes 25 findings with 54 recommendations which have been presented to Parliament. The Government has six months to respond in writing to any recommendation made in the report. The response is public and will be placed on the Inquiry page of Parliament’s website when it is received.

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