MALE TEACHERS

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:53): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the minister representing the Minister for Education and Child Development concerning the number of male teachers in primary schools.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: There has been some media conjecture recently about the relatively low number of male primary school teachers. Indeed, one recent article in The Advertiser reported:

The number of male teachers in schools is at its lowest level in 15 years, but the Education Department has no strategies in place to address it.

The paper went on to quote an adolescent psychologist who said that the prevalence of single-parent families meant many children had only female role models in the home. The psychologist raised the question: how will children learn to react, respond and deal with males if they do not have any role models either at home or in the education system?

The paper also reported that the SA Primary Principals Association president stated that there was a lot of value in students having male teachers in the classroom. My question is, simply: what policies does the education department have in place in order to address this issue, and by when could we expect that the numbers would substantially improve?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:54): I thank the honourable member for his important question to the Minister for Education and Child Development about the number of male teachers in primary schools. I undertake to take that question to the minister in the other place and to seek a response on his behalf.