Educators Michelle Nish, Hannah Bahtiyar and Hayley Wilson (standing), preschool teacher Carol Henderson, and director Vicki Martin held their own Day of Action Rally, but kept Mulwala Preschool open today.
Mulwala Preschool teacher, Carol Henderson, works just metres away from some of her university classmates, who teach primary school.
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They have the same qualification, and years of experience, but Carol earns $30,000 a year less than her friends.
She teaches at a not-for- profit, community preschool, which caters to all children, including those from low socio-economic backgrounds and with special needs.
But now the poor pay and conditions in community preschools are causing an exodus of teachers who are drowning under increasing workloads and intense pressure to maintain a high standard of care.
After months of bargaining with the Independent Education Union, the NSW Government has rejected their proposal to help get the wages educators deserve, and teachers have said “enough”.
Across NSW today, preschools closed and instead a Day of Action Rally was held to make a stand to save community preschools.
Back in Mulwala, staff decided to keep the preschool open and instead held their own event, with staff and children dressed in pink.
Parents dressed their children in pink today to support the staff at Mulwala Preschool.
Director, Vicki Martin said Mulwala was a state-funded, community preschool that received no Federal funding.
“We are one of about 710 community preschools across NSW, providing quality early education and care for children aged 3–5 years,” Ms Martin said.
“We are committed to providing inclusive education for all children, particularly those experiencing economic disadvantage or with additional needs.
“The challenges facing community preschools put this vital work, and the children who depend on it, at real risk.”
Ms Martin said the ongoing debate on pay parity between early childhood and public-school teachers needed resolution.
Teachers are ageing, and experienced teachers and educators are leaving for jobs that offer better pay and conditions.
Teachers and educators in community preschools earn up to 30 per cent less than their colleagues with equivalent qualifications and responsibilities in government preschools and schools.
On average, more than 80 per cent of government funding to community preschools is spent on wages, but it remains inadequate to address the workforce crisis or attract new teachers to the sector.
In July this year, the NSW government announced it would not increase funding or provide additional support.
The rally also opposed the proposed Expanding Quality Access (EQA) program, which allocates $100 million to extend hours and increase places in community preschools for children from birth to school age.
Ms Martin said that while the program recognised the value of community preschools, it misunderstands the strength of the existing model, which is widely regarded as among the best in NSW.
“Rather than addressing the known challenges, the EQA program risks undermining the very structure that has made community preschools successful, potentially turning them into long day care–style operations and eroding their community-driven focus,” she said.
Tegan Alexander is a parent and on the board of management at Mulwala preschool.
She is also a qualified early childhood teacher who was faced with a choice - between the community preschool system, which she loves but wouldn’t pay anywhere near the state school system.
“As someone who has worked in early childhood and school, the requirement is no different between the two settings, so the pay should be the same across the board,” Tegan said.
“The government is trying to wash its hand of this.
“They say they aren’t our main employer, so they aren’t responsible for the pay increase.
“Then in the next breath they want to change the model of delivery to longer hours and a range of ages, which is pretty much long day care.”
For Tegan and others like her, community preschool was a choice, for a reason.
She said parents need to have the choice between 15 hours over three days, or longer hours over the whole week.
“The parents are fighting for the staff and for the future families coming through these services.”
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