As more ACT government schools move to remote learning this week, Shadow Minister for Education Jeremy Hanson has laid the blame squarely on the Labor-Greens government for neglecting the education system over a long period of time.

Mr Hanson said there is a critical teacher shortage in the ACT that was evident before the pandemic began and we are now seeing the results of that shortage.

“The ACT Labor-Greens Government promised 400 new teachers at the last election,” Mr Hanson said.

“The Canberra Liberals have continually asked the minister how many new teachers have been delivered since that promise was made but she has been unable to answer that very basic question.

“The minister has also failed to say how many new teachers are only replacing the ones that have left the system.

“If we had a properly resourced education system, relief teachers would be able to backfill the gaps left by teachers isolating with COVID and it would be done through a centralised system.

“At the moment this system appears to be very ad hoc and as a result our hardworking teachers, students and parents are paying the price because the minister has failed to manage the school system.

“The recent Productivity Commission report on government services shows school funding in the ACT has been cut by 3.3 per cent in real terms over the last decade by Labor and the Greens and as a result we see an education system in crisis,” Mr Hanson concluded.