That’s the assessment of two UNE educators, who believe the NSW Government suggestion that school hours be staggered is flawed. They say concern for workplace productivity should not trump teaching and learning outcomes.
Experienced teachers Dr Barbara Bannister and Associate Professor Brendan Jacobs, from UNE’s School of Education, say the proposal would have major drawbacks, particularly for rural, regional and remote families.
“Some students already travel up to 1.5 hours to get to school each day by bus, which means leaving home by 7am to be at school by 9am,” Dr Bannister says. “If you brought the school start time forward, it makes it very difficult for those rural, regional and remote students to attend a school.”
Earlier this month NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced that an economic expert panel will guide government policies, including reassessing school hours, in a bid to break down structural gender barriers. He referenced childcare issues before and after school for working parents, especially single mothers, as a major challenge to be addressed.
A trial of longer school days will begin in NSW later this year. NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has signalled that “additional flexibility in schools” is one way to improve family life, in keeping with societal changes.
However, the UNE educators, both former classroom teachers with a combined 50+ years’ experience teaching in schools and at university, say looking to children for productivity gains has no pedagogical basis.
“It’s all about workers and work times and I have not heard a single educational reason in support of this,” Dr Bannister says. “I might be old-fashioned, but schools are about learning in all its forms.
“Some schools already have an extensive before-school program that begins at 7.30am for extra-curricular music and sport rehearsals, as well as the teaching of extension subjects. The change to school hours mooted by non-educators shows a distinct lack of understanding of what already happens in schools, and the kind of impact that such an administrative change could have on learning.
“I absolutely recognise the pressures that school hours put on parents and workers. But it seems to be politicians and businesspeople who are most in favour of it.”
Associate Professor Jacobs highlighted that childcare and education are often grouped together but are two separate matters. “Before and after school care already exists, and it costs money, and rightly so,” he says. “A case could be made for more flexibility with school hours in light of play-based learning in the early years and project-based learning in primary schools, but the duty of care that teachers already have conveys serious legal ramifications, so simply extending the working week is not the answer.”
In rural and regional areas, where parents often lack educational choices nearby, the UNE academics say it would be particularly important for any proposals to change school hours to be thoroughly discussed with the staff, student and parent body. Consultation with teachers has been largely absent, to date.
With COVID-19 prompting broader discussions about more flexible work arrangements and family-friendly choices, Associate Professor Jacobs was not surprised the spotlight had now turned to schools. “But the idea of forcing children to mirror their parents’ work schedules is not healthy or beneficial to them or their education,” he says.
Looking to children to support productivity increases also overlooked other pressing teaching concerns.
“Changing school hours would do nothing to alleviate existing staff shortages in schools nationally and internationally,” Dr Bannister says. “STEM remains one of the most under-resourced areas.
“Long-standing teacher grievances about existing pay and conditions, including the large workloads, mean fewer people are choosing to enter the profession or they leave after a few years. Unless we address the teacher supply issues, changing school hours is akin to simply moving the deck chairs on the Titanic.”
“If nothing else comes of this discussion, then hopefully it will encourage people to value education and educators more highly,” Associate Professor Jacobs says.
