The NSW Department of Education now say 377 classes went without their regular teacher at Murrumbidgee Regional High School in term one, despite earlier claims that the number was less than 150.
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The department's new figures show that in term one alone the Wade site had 167 teacher absences and the Griffith High site had 210 teacher absences.
However a department spokesman stood by their previous claim that no student was ever left unsupervised, even when a teacher is absent.
"All classes are covered by a system utilising either a casual teacher, in-built relief, additional extras or minimal supervision," he said.
"The total absences due to sick leave and other leave entitlements need to be considered as a proportion of the total number of teachers, which runs at around 135 teachers at both sites."
The NSW Teachers Federation claim that across term one and term two there were 700 classes without a teacher at the super school.
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One teacher told The Area News that the pressure of covering so many classes had gotten to them, and they had wept in the staff room for the first time in their adult working life.
Another claimed they'd racked up over 40 overloaded work hours while trying to cover all the absences in term one.
Member for Murray Helen Dalton claimed the department and the NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell had been trying to downplay the extent of the problem.
"It's clear that the Department of Education's figures do not reflect the situation on the ground, namely that on any give day there are multiple classes at both campuses of Murrumbidgee Regional High who are left outside on the school ovals, unattended and not receiving any education," Mrs Dalton said.
"The minister for education can no longer deny that there is indeed a major shortage of teachers and that shortage is having a very real and very significant impact on student outcomes in Griffith."
This story has been amended to say 377 classes at MHRS went without their regular teacher.
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Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
