Beyond Resilience: A Systemic Approach to Educator Wellbeing is an Urgent National Priority

The quality of a nation’s education system is a direct predictor of its future prosperity, innovation, and social cohesion. At the heart of this system are our teachers and school leaders, professionals entrusted with nurturing the next generation of Australians. As the national body representing government secondary school principals, the Australian Secondary Principals' Association (ASPA) believes it is imperative to address the profound challenges facing this vital workforce. A recent synthesis of major national and international data provides an undeniable evidence base that demands immediate and structural policy action.

Our analysis drawing on the OECD’s TALIS 2024 report, the 2023 Australian Teacher Workforce Data, and the ACU’s 2024 Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey presents a stark and unified picture. The findings confirm that our education workforce is operating under significant strain. Nearly half of Australian teachers (46 per cent) report experiencing high to severe work-related stress, and a concerning 47 per cent of secondary teachers exhibit poor mental wellbeing.

For school leaders, the situation is even more acute. The data shows that principals and deputy principals experience stress levels 154 per cent higher than the general population. They report rates of severe anxiety and depression many times higher than those in other professions, and a staggering 45 per cent trigger 'red flag' alerts for psychosocial risk, indicating a severe threat to their health. These are not isolated statistics; they are consistent patterns emerging from three independent, large-scale studies.

It is crucial to understand the source of this distress. The evidence overwhelmingly refutes any narrative that this is a problem of individual resilience or capability. Instead, it points to systemic issues rooted in unsustainable working conditions. For both teachers and school leaders, the primary stressor is the sheer quantity of work and the crushing weight of administrative tasks. Between 58 and 69 per cent of teachers identify this as their number one concern. School leaders echo this, reporting that an unmanageable workload and a lack of time to focus on their core purpose, instructional leadership, are their greatest challenges.

The working hours are a clear indicator of this pressure. Australian teachers work an average of 46.5 hours per week, which is 5.6 hours above the OECD average. School leaders work an average of 54.5 hours per week during term, with over one in five working more than 61 hours. This commitment does not end with the school term, as leaders average an additional 20.6 hours of work per week during school holidays.

The consequences of these pressures threaten the long-term stability of the teaching profession and, by extension, the quality of education for every Australian student. The data reveals that 39 per cent of teachers intend to leave the profession before retirement. Job satisfaction has fallen notably since 2018, and the proportion of teachers who regret their career choice has doubled. This is not a sustainable trajectory.

However, within this challenging landscape lies a clear direction for effective intervention. The analysis identifies job satisfaction as the single most powerful protective factor against attrition. Teachers who report high levels of professional satisfaction are significantly less likely to consider leaving. This finding is critical: it tells us that the key to retaining our skilled educators is not to offer superficial wellness programmes, but to create the conditions where they can do their core job effectively and find professional fulfilment.

Therefore, the path forward must be one of structural reform. ASPA advocates for a coordinated strategy focused on four key priorities.

First, we must meaningfully reduce the administrative burden on teachers and principals. This will free up their time to focus on teaching and learning.

Second, the pervasive teacher shortages must be addressed as a national emergency. Shortages intensify the workload for remaining staff and compromise the quality of learning for students.

Third, schools must be provided with adequate resources and specialised staff to support the increasingly complex mental health and behavioural needs of students. Teachers and principals cannot be expected to be the sole providers of this intensive support.

Finally, we need to ensure greater stability in curriculum and policy. Constant and poorly implemented changes contribute significantly to workload and stress.

The evidence is unambiguous. We are at a critical juncture where inaction will have serious implications for student outcomes and the future of our nation. This is a systemic problem that requires a systemic solution. ASPA remains committed to collaborating with politicians, policymakers, and education authorities to build a stronger, fairer, and more sustainable education system. By addressing the root causes of educator distress, we can ensure that our schools remain places where both students and the professionals who guide them can flourish.