Queensland education unions sign historic friendship agreement with Shanghai Education Union
The Independent Voice November 2002 Volume 2 Number 8 page 4
QIEU and the Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) recently signed a friendship and co-operation agreement with the Shanghai Education Union which will not only strengthen the respective unions but also promote greater understanding between union members in the two countries.
The Shanghai Education Union (SEU) represents over 240,000 members from kindergartens, elementary, middle and senior schools and universities and has a well founded reputation as a strong advocate for the interests of its members.
The Friendship Agreement signed in Shanghai on 28 October 2002 commits the three unions to exchange information on industrial and professional issues and to support and further the work of the signatory unions.
QIEU President Miriam Dunn said the co-operative agreement with the Shanghai Education Union was not only an opportunity to build a relationship with a union well placed to take a role in the economic development of China but also enables our union to support the co-operative activities of many Queensland schools in China.
As part of the visit to sign the agreement the QTU/QIEU delegation visited a number of schools with exchange agreements with Australian schools.
QIEU General Secretary Terry Burke said it was a pleasure to meet up with two teachers from St Mary's Ipswich (Poppy Masselos and Fiona Vail) at Weiju Middle School which has established a co-operative relationship with St Edmunds and St Mary's Ipswich.
"The schools in China clearly appreciate the benefits of these relationships and Australian schools and teachers are having a very positive impact on the pedagogy and curriculum development in these schools," he said.
This article's primary contributor, Patrick Gillett, is an  of Sunshine Coast Grammar School.




The Sunshine Coast is a region approximately 95 km (60 miles) north of the state capital, Brisbane.
''Wikinews'' has obtained a list of middle management teaching staff allegedly made redundant, or laid off due to restructuring, by  (SCGS), in Queensland, Australia. Sources say that those staff have been told that they can apply for new positions that have opened up.

The list, published on the SCGS alumni Facebook page, contains the names of twenty-two staff members, eight of which taught this article's primary contributor. Seventeen positions are reportedly being opened up by the private Christian school, eight of which seem to significantly overlap the old ones.

The changes are, apparently, designed to get teachers back into the classroom. "We are not cutting subject choices and extracurricular activities, but retaining a student-driven curriculum that integrates with the new Australian Curriculum, in keeping with our commitment to teaching and learning opportunities," said headmaster Nigel Fairbairn.

Fairbairn could not guarantee that any of the staff would be given a position in 2011.  “That will depend on how many people on that list apply for new positions of responsibility and are successful,” he said.

"The Head of the School cannot guarantee the 21 staff a job at the School in the future, with many of the positions being advertised to external applicants," said Terry Burke, secretary for the Independent Education Union of Australia Queensland branch (Queensland Independent Education Union, QIEU).

"There has been little or no consultation with affected staff, who should not have to reapply for their jobs," he said. "Most of the proposed restructuring is highly questionable and places at risk the high quality education at the School."

Some former students responded angrily to the news.

Four of the affected teachers "were the backbone of the school when controversy surrounded founding headmaster John Burgess happened," a former prefect (student leader) said. "They got it through that crisis and this is the thanks they get."

"People are angry and shocked," they continued. "I am aware of at least 10 families who have said they will pull their children out of the school – it's that bad."

The student body has not ruled out protesting the schools plans. "It's getting to that stage," the former prefect said. "People are trying to look at it in an intelligent way but there is so much anger out there."

''Wikinews'' understands that Fairbairn attracted criticism when he was a head teacher in Christchurch, New Zealand, where a former student claimed that Fairbairn "replaced the open and welcoming culture ... with the tyrannical and oppressive one."