A policy to increase the number of women in senior education roles in the Melbourne Archdiocese is aiming to reduce the disparity between the numbers in the ranks and in principal roles. Source: Herald Sun.
Stark figures show that while women make up nearly 80 per cent of the teaching workforce at Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, the number in principal roles are close to a 50-50 gender split.
MACS has introduced a new policy to rethink the structure of leadership across its schools to improve the conditions to support women rising through to senior leadership roles.
MACS director of education excellence Mary Oski said barriers – from rigid role structures, limited flexibilities, the pressure of caring responsibilities and a lack of access to development pathways – were well documented.
She said the cumulative effect was a loss of experienced educators from leadership pipelines at the point where their expertise matters most.
“We know that too many women step away from leadership not because of capability, but because of structural barriers,” Dr Oski said.
“We’re focused on removing those barriers – the more that younger women see women in leadership roles, the more likely they are to see themselves in those roles in the future.”
The Vision for Leadership policy has introduced structured pathways from classroom teaching through to principalship, alongside flexible leadership models including job-share principal arrangements.
The policy has been designed as a broader workforce strategy to create more flexible and accessible pathways into senior leadership, while retaining experienced educators and supporting the next generation of leaders.
MACS employs more than 18,000 teachers and staff across almost 300 schools.
Professional development, mentoring and leadership networks are embedded across the system, ensuring women are supported not only to aspire to senior roles but to build the skills and confidence to succeed once they are there.
“We have strong, intelligent women in our schools and they often need to be tapped on the shoulder and told, ‘You can do this’,” Dr Oski said.
“If you became a teacher because you wanted to make a difference, leadership gives you the opportunity to make an even bigger difference.”
FULL STORY
Melbourne Catholic schools launch new policy to tackle leadership gender gap (By Liliana Molina, Herald Sun)
