GROWING numbers of men are shunning teaching careers for fear of being falsely accused of child-sex offences.

More than 50 South Australian schools had no male teachers last year and experts say this rate will worsen in the wake of the high-profile Debelle royal commission into the handling of school sex-abuse cases.

Australian Education Union state president David Smith said members were reporting more reluctance from young men about joining the profession.

“The recent publicity following the Debelle inquiry has led to a negative atmosphere,” he said.

“Quite frankly, there are concerns about (men’s) safety regarding vexatious accusations.

“We believe it’s very important that all teachers and other employees in schools have a safe workplace.”

Education Department figures show about 10 per cent of its schools — 56 across the state, mostly rural primary schools — did not have a male teacher last year, while Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show the number of male teachers in South Australian public schools has also declined, from almost 35 per cent in 1999 to under 29 per cent, and in raw numbers by 842 men.News_Image_File: Male to female teacher rations in SA.

Catholic and independent schools had higher numbers of male teachers in the same period, but more women had also been hired, causing the male/female ratio of men to women to drop.

Principals, psychologists and the teachers union say young men are becoming scared of entering the profession and that more must be done to attract men into the system.

SA Primary Principals Association state president Pam Kent said the number of men entering primary teaching was declining, and most who did worked in high schools.

“Part of the reason is that male teachers are increasingly at risk by being alone with students and people are very conscious about this and they are more vulnerable to the possibility of unfair or vexatious allegations,” she said.

She said male teachers were an important asset in schools, especially as role models for children where a male role model may not be present at home.

Clinical psychologist Dr Darryl Cross said society was becoming more legalistic, causing fear and discouraging young men who may consider teaching as a potential career.

But, he said the benefits of male teachers included that they show boys how to behave, while they offer a n opportunity for girls to learn how to communicate with men.

“It’s absolutely fundamental for children’s development that they have those role models bearing in mind that lots of children in schools nowadays come from single parent families,” he said.

ABS figures show the number of men in public schools has declined by 842 since 1999, when there were 4635 who made up 34.66 per cent of teaching staff in SA public schools.

Last year, there were 3793 male teachers, or 28.91 per cent of the total 13,120 teachers.

SA Secondary Principals Association president Jan Paterson said a further decline in the number of males could be expected, given many were in the older age bracket of 55-65.

“There will be a considerable number of retirements over the next few years,” she said.

The state’s universities continue to report that more women than men are studying education courses.

At Flinders University there are 679 men and 1556 women studying teaching, while at the University of Adelaide there are 402 male teaching students who make up 41 per cent of the total.

At UniSA, which runs a mentoring program specifically for male students in early primary teaching degrees, there are 709 men and 2584 women studying teaching so far this year.

A spokeswoman for the Education and Child Development Department said the department was “committed to employing the best teachers, regardless of gender”.

“South Australia’s percentage of male teachers (29 per cent) is higher than the national average of 26 per cent,” she said.

“Also, of the (56) schools in the list (without a male teacher), the average number of students is approximately 52, and 72 per cent of these schools have less than 60 students.

“Between 2008 and 2012 there has been a 24.6 per cent increase in the number of males under the age of 25 enrolling in tertiary teaching courses in South Australia.”

Graeme Hunt, the lone male teacher at Goodwood Primary School, says this is the first year he has worked with an otherwise all-female staff in his 30-year career.

“Last year, there were about three or four of us around, but because of retirements and other things, now it’s just me,” he said.

He said he makes sure he is available as a role model to all students in the school.

“Some of the kids don’t have a significant male in their homes,” he said.

He said his career choice was one of the best decisions he had ever made, and encouraged other young men to consider entering the profession.

“It really is a very rewarding job, even when it’s frustrating,” he said.