TEACHER vacancy rates across the Hunter are improving, but only ever so slightly.
Permanent teacher vacancies dropped 6.9 per cent from last year across the Hunter, and have fallen to a three-year low across the state.
The NSW Department of Education revealed there were 135 vacancies this year in the Hunter, just 10 less than in 2023.
Out of 2200 state schools, there are a total of 1698 vacancies - the lowest number since 2021.
The downward trend follows the state government's work to address the teacher shortage with new data indicating resignations and retirements have dropped.
There were 24 per cent fewer vacancies at the start of term 3 than the same time last year, and a 20 per cent drop at the start of this year compared to 2023.
Vacancies rose above 3000 and resignations outstripped retirements for the first time under the former Coalition state government, something NSW Teachers Federation president, Henry Rajendra, labelled as a "direct consequence".
"The teacher shortage is a direct consequence of the former Coalition state government's relentless suppression of wages over the last decade," he said.
"While the rebuild is under way, crushing workloads remain a huge problem in attracting and retaining the teachers our children need and deserve."
NSW Teachers Federation regional organiser Jack Galvin Waight said ongoing shortages were felt first-hand in the Upper Hunter at Merriwa Central School.
"Our children in the Hunter need and deserve properly staffed schools," he said.
"For more than 10 years, the Coalition government suppressed the wages of teachers. With the new salary structure, we are now making progress, but more work is needed to address crushing workloads, which still deter people from joining and staying in the profession," he said.
Minister for education and deputy premier Prue Car said there was still plenty of work to do, but the improved figures showed the steps the government was taking to address the teacher shortage crisis.
"These include delivering a once-in-a-generation wage rise to NSW public school teachers, focusing on easing teacher workload, and improving student behaviour," she said.
"The drop in resignations and retirements shows teachers are hearing that we value their work and are supporting them to focus on delivering quality teaching and learning.
"Having a qualified teacher at the front of every classroom is vital to delivering improved academic outcomes for our students."
The numbers also reflect the government's election commitment to provide permanent roles to more than 16,000 temporary teachers, which now make up 72 per cent of the teaching workforce, up from 64 per cent in 2022.
There are hopes to attract and retain teachers through the Grow Your Own Teacher Training program, which supports aspiring teachers to study while working in a local public school, and the Teachers in the Field program, which supports regional, rural and remote schools to access teacher relief cover.
