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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 2 Hansard (6 March) . . Page.. 812 ..
Given the age profile of the principal cohort, it is reasonable to assume that the bulk of the resignations are for pre age 55 years retirement. For similar reasons a sizeable percentage, although not as high as for the principals, of the other teachers' resignations would be for the same reason.
The figures for 2003 (to March 1) are included as the department bases its workforce planning on school years and these separations would be included on the 2002 school year figures. Recruitment to these vacancies would have occurred in the latter part of 2002.
As a number of teachers who retire or resign pre 55 years register for casual work, they are not entirely lost to the department as teachers.
2) The department does not have this information for non-government schools.
3) The figures are included in the table in the response to 1) above.
The reasons, other than retirement, that principals and teachers separate from the department include seekinglaccepting other employment, death, ill health and disciplinary matters.
4) The department does not have this information for non-government schools.
5) Based on the age statistics and previous trends, it is expected that the retirement figures for 2003 will be higher than for 2002. This means that the majority of schools expect to lose teaching staff through retirement. All schools experience staff turnover each year due to transfer and promotion as well as through separations.
At this point, one principal has notified an intention to retire/resign during Term 2. Others will notify their intentions at an appropriate time. Seven teachers have indicated that they will retire/resign at the end of Term 1. Generally teachers try to time the date for leaving their school around the end of term or end of school. However, through the use of accrued leave, the actual separation date may be later than this time. The majority of separations are timed for the end of the school year.
6) The department does not have this information for non-government schools.
7) Currently all principal vacancies are advertised in the national press. In recent years, external applicants have been selected to fill nine principal vacancies in ACT Government schools.
The department is focusing resources from the Professional Learning Fund and other funds on leadership development programs to ensure that sufficient of its current staff have the skills to take on a principal role.
Each year the department conducts an extensive teacher recruitment campaign. This involves presentation at over thirty teacher training institutions and national advertising. In 2002, over 1500 applications were received and processed.
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