The Nationals WA, in Government, will take immediate action to rebuild WA’s teacher workforce by reducing administrative burdens, increasing classroom support, and introducing stronger incentives to attract and retain teachers, particularly in regional areas.
Shadow Education Minister Peter Rundle MLA said Labor has failed to address the growing teacher shortage, placing increasing pressure on both educators and students.
“Teachers are leaving the profession due to excessive workloads, inadequate support, and a lack of meaningful incentives. We will implement practical measures to strengthen the workforce and improve conditions in WA schools,” Mr Rundle said.
In Government, The Nationals WA will prioritise:
Attracting and Retaining Teachers in Regional WA
• Increased and consistent Country Teacher Program allowances and Attraction and Retention Incentives to cover more schools.
• Billion-dollar Building Regional Homes Program commitment, including unprecedented investment in Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH). Delivery of up to 1,000 new GROH homes in regional WA over the next decade.
• Return to Metro Agreements to ensure teachers can return to their previous positions after regional placements, enhancing workforce mobility.
• Introduction of a fair and structured regional teacher placement incentive scheme.
• De-centralisation of District Office support.
Reducing Maximum Class Sizes to Improve Student Outcomes
“Despite growing student complexities WA class size limits have remained unchanged for 40 years, with maximum class sizes in Years 4-10 still set at 32.”
“The Nationals WA support an incremental reduction in class sizes allowing teachers to dedicate more time to individual learning requirements rather than simply managing overcrowded classrooms.” Mr Rundle said.
Commitment to Qualified Teachers in Every Classroom
Mr Rundle said the growing reliance on Limited Registration Teachers should not be a standard solution for teacher shortages.
“There are approximately 10,000 trained teachers in WA who are currently not teaching. In Government, The Nationals will simplify the registration process and encourage these teachers to return to the classroom providing much-needed, qualified relief staff.”
Fixing School and Infrastructure and Maintenance
In Government The Nationals WA will commit:
• $60 million for infrastructure improvements at Como Senior High School.
• An initial $60 million for upgrades at Esperance Senior High School.
• $45 million to Margaret River Senior High School.
• A thorough review of the statewide school infrastructure audit to prioritise overdue upgrades, particularly for regional schools that have been waiting more than five years for necessary improvements.
Reducing Violence and Aggression in Schools
A Nationals WA government will implement the following measures to ensure safer schools:
• Increase Specialised Teacher Consultants – Deploy specialists in all eight regions to train and support school staff in behaviour management and prevention strategies.
• Enhance Interagency Support – Strengthen collaboration between agencies to better support students and protect school staff.
• Expand Schools of Alternative Learning Settings (SALS).
The Nationals WA will also develop formal partnership agreements with allied professionals to deliver a coordinated response to violent behaviour in schools.
Country Week Assistance Payment, Public School Funding and School Buses
The Nationals WA will commit $8 million to the Country Week Program to provide direct cost of living relief to regional families. Country Week brings regional students together to compete in sports, academic, and cultural events, fostering teamwork, school pride, and lifelong friendships.
Peter Rundle said these policies complement Education commitments already made by the Party, including ensuring the state agreement with the Commonwealth Government to increase SRS funding from 20% to 25% is upheld.
“We’ve also made a recent cost-of-living relief announcement, which will increase the Boarding Away From Home Allowance to $2,700 per student per year, with an additional $500 travel allowance per student.” Rundle said.
The Nationals in Government will also convert all existing school bus contracts to evergreen contracts and amend the eligibility distance for student access from 4.5km to 2.5km from schools.
“The Nationals WA remain committed to delivering a stronger, better-resourced education system that provides every child, no matter where they live, with the opportunities they deserve.”
