Schools close as more than 160 teachers from across the Eurobodalla strike demanding better wages and hours

More than 160 teachers from across the shire gathered at Club Catalina near Batemans Bay campaigning for healthier work hours and better pay.

Moruya Public School principal Sarah Davis told the crowd 71 per cent of teachers in the Queanbeyan and Batemans Bay region were reconsidering their position because of their workload.

Narooma Highschool visual arts teacher Kalithea Barcala was just one teacher present.

She studied for seven years to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours and a Masters of Teaching with First Class Honours in the pursuit of her goal of becoming a teacher.

READ MORE:

She has been teaching two years, but said she had "grim prospects for the future".

"I love my job," Ms Barcala said, "but I don't know if I will be able to continue with the work the way it is."

She said the workload was unsustainable and half of her fellow graduates from two years ago were no longer in the profession despite receiving permanent or temporary contracts.

They are not alone. Half of new teaching graduates leave the profession within the first five years.

"It is heartbreaking as someone who loves my job, to face the reality I might have to leave it to protect my emotional and physical wellbeing," Ms Barcala said.

Ms Davis said the role of the teacher and the expectations placed on teachers had changed and increased in its demand, and wages and working conditions had to reflect this.

She said teachers were spending an average 15.7 hours per week on administration, cutting into family time, weekends and holidays.

She said the heavy workload on teachers detracted from the quality of opportunities schools could offer.

"Last term at our school many of our learning and support programs didn't happen," Ms Davis said.

"There are kids that need the support that are missing out."

President of the NSW Teachers Federation Angelo Gavrielatos in his speech outside state parliament in Sydney which was livestreamed to the Catalina event, said teachers were often working more than 60 hours per week, destroying work-life balance and with no overtime payments.

Mr Gavrielatos said the NSW Government had proposed reducing the requirements and standards to become a teacher as a solution to the problem.

"It is scary to hear them discussing lower standards and requirements to become a teacher," Ms Barcala said.