Remote state high school parents seek help with teacher shortage

Year 10 student Zara Trevithick is spending her winter school holidays catching up on assessments her new classmates have already started.

The 15-year-old is starting term three at a new school because she felt the public school could not offer what she needed.

An ongoing teaching shortage has led to the cancellation of school events and senior subject offerings at the central Queensland school, she said.

"It's annoying because if there wasn't a teacher shortage, then I wouldn't want to go because I like learning there with my friends,"

Zara said.

Zara was previously a student at Biloela State High School, the only public high school in the shire, alongside one private Christian prep to year 12 school in Biloela.

Zara's mother Lacreesha Trevithick also put her two older children through the public system.

She said parents first learnt about the teacher shortage after the school's annual athletics carnival was cancelled in April.

In a statement, the Department of Education said: "The decision to cancel the school athletics carnival considered the staff available, the high-risks involved in some of the events and alternative opportunities that were available to students to trial."

Since April, parents and the P&C (parents and citizens) group have held meetings with the school to understand the extent of the issue.

Mrs Trevithick said it was revealed at the first meeting in May that two senior subjects, building and construction and food nutrition, were dissolved that month.

Feeling uncertain about the future of their daughter, who wants to pursue a career in engineering, the Trevithick family unenrolled Zara from the school.

"I was concerned that there was no plan between now and my daughter going into year 11 that would see any major changes to fix the issue," Mrs Trevithick said.

Enrolments fall 12.5 per cent in 15 months

Fellow parent Adam Burling also made the "hard decision" earlier this year to move his daughter, in year 11, to boarding school in Rockhampton, 150 kilometres away.

He said the catalyst was learning that arts and drama subjects would not be offered at the school this year.

In response to questions on subject offerings, the Department of Education said "some elective subjects are not continuing while recruitment continues to ensure coverage of core subjects and ensure continuity of learning", the statement read.

"Support is available for students wishing to re-engage with elective subjects through distance education and alternative pathways."

Mr Burling said discussions were had about doing the subjects by distance education, but they did not line up with the timetable, and it became too hard.

His two younger children remain at the high school.

"Time doesn't wait for us, and if we're not sure that we're going to get the right outcome for our kids, we're going to do what we need to do,"

he said.

Mr Burling, who is also the treasurer of the school's parents and citizens association, said according to enrolment data provided by the school, there had been a drop of 69 students, or 12.5 per cent, in 15 months, with 489 students enrolled as at May 2026.

The passionate advocate for the region is also a councillor with the Banana Shire Council.

He is also worried about fewer students taking up trade or vocational education at the school, reducing their opportunities to work in local industry positions.

Data from the P&C that the ABC has seen showed in 2019 there were 27 school-based apprentices at the public high school, but just six in 2024.

"The future of the town relies on our kids being able to pick up this work, and at the moment, they are not being prepped enough to be the frontrunner for these jobs," he said.

Principals having to recruit themselves

The state government's Smart Jobs website has six teaching staff vacancies advertised at Biloela State High School, as of Friday, July 3.

The school is allocated to have 36 full-time equivalent classroom teachers and nine full-time equivalent classified (leaders or heads of programs) teachers.

Parents have sent letters to Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek, and a meeting of almost 40 parents was held with the state member for Callide, Bryson Head, in May.

In a letter to parents on June 22, Mr Head said that some of the advertised vacancies have had applicants and were expected to be filled, and others were pending visa applications.

State government data published in April showed secondary teaching in the central Queensland region, including Biloela, was staffed at 93.1 per cent — the lowest of the state's eight teaching regions.

The Queensland Teachers' Union said the issue was not just about there not being enough teachers, but the disproportionate number of teachers posted to larger cities.

"We're seeing metro regions being staffed well and above and beyond 100 per cent while some of the regions — and CQ is in the worst position here — are being staffed well below that 100 per cent minimum staffing level," central Queensland organiser Dan Coxen said.

Education staff were taking on the job of recruiting for teachers themselves, Mr Coxen said.

"I know of many teachers that spend late nights trawling through Facebook pages, trawling through teacher recruitment pages, trying to promote their schools, trying to put it out there that they've got vacancies, spending a huge amount of time on trying to recruit teachers in their schools.

"What their focus should actually be is on the teaching and learning going on inside their school."

Incentives needed for teachers to move

As a potential solution, Mrs Trevithick said Biloela parents and P&C have asked the Department of Education to increase the school's transfer rating from a level three to four.

Transfer ratings are determined by the remoteness of a school, with higher ratings (up to 11) attracting additional benefits, including pay increases, relocation assistance, university debt reduction and extra annual leave.

The union agreed a review was warranted.

"Biloela does attract teacher accommodation, but clearly what's on offer at the moment is not doing enough to attract teachers and keep them there," Mr Coxen said.

The Department of Education was contacted for a response on the transfer rating reviews.

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