Dozens of WA public schools forced to close by teachers strike

More than 80 public schools across the State will either be closed or partially closed when teachers go out on strike next week. The Education Department required principals to notify it of how many teachers were likely to attend rallies being held across WA as the State School Teachers Union forges ahead with its first strike action in more than a decade. The West Australian can reveal that 29 schools will be forced to close their doors to students completely because they will not have enough teachers on-site to supervise children. Another 55 schools will be partially closed, with students from only some year groups attending, as thousands of teachers abandon their classrooms. Some schools that plan to open have told parents they will collapse classes in the morning, with “modified” teaching and learning activities provided to students across different age groups. The union on Monday revealed it had rejected the State Government’s second offer of an 11 per cent pay increase over three years, standing firm on its demand for 12 per cent over two years. Negotiations have continued all week but have so far failed to prevent the stop-work action. Education Department director-general Lisa Rodgers said she was confident the majority of the State’s 832 public schools would remain open on Tuesday. “Public school principals will inform their communities by the end of today on the plan for their school,” she said. “On Tuesday morning, the parents of students at schools that are impacted will receive more detailed information outlining the plan. “There will be no student instruction in the morning for the schools that are closed, so students should attend at 11.30am in the Kimberley and Pilbara and 12.30pm in all other regions. “Schools that are partially open will provide student instruction for selected year levels or cohorts of students for the whole day. “We value teachers and are making every effort to have this reflected in their pay and conditions.” The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA said this week the union’s industrial action would impact productivity if parents were forced to take time off work to look after their kids.