Despite this clear contractual obligation, the Union of Professional Educators (UPE) highlights that there is a severe shortage of Class LSEs in schools today. This means that countless classes, which legally qualify for this crucial support based on their size alone, are operating without it.

This failure has a direct and detrimental impact:

• On Students: Larger classes without adequate support see a decline in individual attention, hindering the learning experience for all students and creating a more challenging environment for those who need extra help.

• On Educators: Teachers are left to manage overcrowded classrooms without the necessary support, leading to increased burnout, stress, and an unsustainable workload.

• On Quality of Education: The failure to implement this agreement undermines the quality of inclusive education that the government itself has pledged to provide.

The UPE underscores a vital point often misunderstood: the entitlement to a Class LSE under Article 11.9 is not dependent on the presence of a student with a Statement of Needs in the classroom.

For your reference, the specific clause from the 2024 agreement is:

“11.9. In Kindergarten 1 to Year 6, all groups/classes shall benefit further from the support of a Learning Support Educator provided that the student population per group/class exceeds:

• 12 students in Kinder 1;
• 14 students in Kinder 2;
• 18 students in Years 1 to 6.

This measure shall continue to be implemented incrementally from Year 4 to Year 6.”

As Article 11.8 of the same agreement clarifies, a student with a full-time, one-to-one Statement of Needs is separately and guaranteed their own LSE. The Class LSE is an additional support mechanism—a right granted to the entire class based solely on student population numbers, intended to benefit every pupil and educator in that room.

Trade Dispute Registered

The Union of Professional Educators has made it unequivocally clear that it will not accept non-compliance on this fundamental issue.

“We have formally registered a trade dispute with the Ministry of Education over this breach of agreement,” Mr Sansone stated. “The promise was made in black and white, and it must be honoured. Our educators and students cannot be short-changed.”

The union has warned that if the matter is not resolved urgently and the correct number of LSEs are not allocated as per the collective agreement, it will be left with no alternative but to issue a series of directives to its members.

The UPE urges the Ministry to act immediately to rectify this shortage and fulfil its contractual obligations, ensuring that every student and educator receives the support they were promised and deserve.