Principal RE-classification and Classification Update | Deputy President Bob Willetts
The NSWPPA has long been advocating for changes to the Principal Classification system (see our website for our position paper).
We have also been advocating for a moratorium on Principal Re-Classifications until a review of the existing system is completed and changes are made to create a fair and equitable system.
After raising the issue once again at our term meeting with Mr Mitchell, President Robyn Evans, Deputy President Bob Willetts and HR Executive Liaison Michael Trist were invited to discuss the issue in depth with the Minister Mitchell at Parliament House on 8th June prior to State Council.
The NSWPPA delegation clearly outlined the issues with the existing classification system and the rationale for a moratorium on re-classification, with particular emphasis on;
- Threshold increases.
- Increasing complexity and related loadings that are not included in the classification formula.
- Policy changes that affected aspects of the formula.
- The unintended outcomes and magnified impact of the policy on rural/regional/remote schools and communities.
- The current statewide instability of staffing supply.
The Minister subsequently explained that the advice the Minister’s office has received is that a moratorium is not possible as it is part of the current Award negotiations between the NSWDoE and the NSWTF.
We expressed our significant dismay at the lack of action to model the proposal outlined in the NSWPPA Position Paper (ratified by State Council in 2019) as agreed to by previous NSWDoE Secretary Mark Scott.
The Minister has agreed to take our position paper on classification and concerns about re-classification forward, and assigned the issue to one of her staff for us to directly liaise with in future.
Whilst we are collectively disappointed with not being able to have a moratorium on re-classification, we feel that we made progress in having our concerns addressed towards the big picture resolution.
We sought a longer term commitment to a broader consultation process to review the classification system that includes consideration of the NSWPPA position paper and modelling of the proposal.
With that in place we will hopefully be able to work more collaboratively on a revision to the classification system to bring about a fair and equitable Principal Classification System to enhance public education in NSW.