Wednesday, 19 June 2024

Literacy education

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (18:00): (969) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education and concerns his recent announcement that prep to grade 2 student reading programs in Victoria will now use the synthetic phonics approach. I was pleased to hear Mr Galea’s support for this move last night and Mr Batchelor’s too and Dr Heath’s this morning. They gave numerous examples, personal anecdotes as well as international experience, and I thoroughly endorse their excellent conclusions. What alarmed me, however, is that this much-needed, evidence-based, teacher-supported example of progress was condemned so rapidly by the education union. What on earth is wrong with these people? Clearly they put ideology and factional dislike above evidence and above the life chances of children. And who do they think they are not just to disagree with the Labor minister, the Deputy Leader of the Government, but to demand that explicit teaching and phonics be ignored by teachers? Who do they think they are? Members were advised not to take any action to implement the changes they announced.

David Limbrick: Treacherous.

Bev McARTHUR: Treacherous, absolutely. In my view the minister was rightly praised not just for his announcement but his interest and engagement at the Age schools summit. It is incredibly regrettable now to hear him undermined by the union in this way. In fact while the words were a bit milder, the self-interested disregard for democracy, the threat to hold others to ransom, reminded me of Mr Setka’s appalling overreach in attacking former Australian building and construction commissioner Stephen McBurney. It has been gratifying to hear in recent days criticism of Mr Setka, though perhaps not enough from some Labor members.

The AEU is now being attacked even by its own members. AEU member and literacy specialist James Dobson told EducationHQ he was deeply hurt and appalled by the union’s knee-jerk opposition to these important teaching methods. He said:

… I’ve been talking to dozens of other members who were either planning to call up today, or email and voice their concern – and either cancel their membership or question their membership.

He completely rejected the union’s nonsensical claim that the change will cause more workload, less autonomy and less respect for the profession, saying the opposite is actually true.

As we introduce systematic synthetic phonics it actually alleviates so much of the workload on teachers by providing the resources that teachers are crying out for. The action I seek from the minister is an update on how he will implement the changes announced in the face of the instruction from this over-mighty, self-interested, regressive education union.