Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan says he is “staggered” by the abuse happening against teachers in Australia’s classrooms.
In an interview with News Corp on Tuesday, Tehan called for improvements to the way prospective teachers are trained to manage classrooms.
A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that Australian classrooms rank 63rd out of 68 countries, with more than 44% of students reporting a high level of disorder.
“When I asked them if they have ever been verbally or physically abused (doing their job), nearly every single one put their hand up,” Tehan told News Corp.
“The key thing is when you finish your teaching degree that you have the qualities and capabilities to be able to teach.”
Tehan said too few graduates are leaving university with sufficient practical experience and knowledge on how they should operate in the classroom.
“It's about making sure that teachers understand the importance of having a clear objective for their lesson, making sure they have got the appropriate classroom management skills and are able to get the required classroom discipline so all students can learn,” he said.
In an interview with Sydney’s 2GB radio, Tehan said he will raise the issue with his state and territory counterparts next month.