Sharma says student behaviour is a shared responsibility, not just for teachers

Teachers are educators, not substitute parents.

This was highlighted in Parliament by Opposition MP Rinesh Sharma during the parliamentary debate on the Consolidated Review Report of the Ministry of Education 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 Annual Reports.

Sharma says that the burden placed on teachers to manage student behaviour is "massive” and when a student is caught displaying bad behaviour, it has been observed that parents often do not attend counselling sessions.

He says that attending school counselling sessions should be made mandatory for parents, especially when behavioural issues arise, so that they can better understand and address their child’s conduct both at school and at home.

In response, Education Minister Aseri Radrodro confirmed that there are currently four district counsellors assigned for high-risk referrals and an additional four counsellors under the Substance Abuse Advisory Council.

Radrodro says that the Ministry of Education has 32 district-based counsellors supported by 41 student mentors across 200 schools, with further assistance provided by non-governmental organisations.

To strengthen support services further, Radrodro adds that the Australian Government is partnering with the Ministry to establish nine new district counselling hubs staffed by professional counsellors.

He says this initiative will help ease the pressure on the existing staff and ensure more targeted interventions for students in need.