99.6% of teaching positions are filled

99.6% of teaching positions are filled

Reports of a ‘teacher shortage’ in New Zealand’s schools are inaccurate and alarmist, Secretary for Education Karen Sewell said today.

“Teacher supply is an important issue. Debate on the topic must be responsible and informed by up-to-date data,” Karen Sewell said.

“The most reliable source of information about teacher supply is the Ministry of Education’s survey of teacher vacancies, which is taken at the start of each year,” Karen Sewell said.

“In 2010, 95% of primary schools and 94% of secondary schools took part in the survey, which showed that 99.6% teaching positions were filled. That’s up from 99.1% in 2005 and 99.2% in 2009,” she said.

“I’m concerned that other figures recently quoted in the media do not reflect the real situation, ” Karen Sewell said.

The 2010 survey also shows that vacancies in primary schools have dropped for the first time since 2007, while vacancies in secondary schools continue to decline. Since 2005, the number of teachers in state and state integrated schools has increased from 49,241 to 51,974.

“The Ministry also examines re-advertised vacancies for an indication of ‘hard-to-staff’ positions,” Karen Sewell said. “Re-advertised vacancies have also declined in recent years, largely due to decreases in vacancies at secondary schools.”

For factsheets on teacher pay and conditions, including teacher numbers, go to
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/Schools/SchoolOperations/EmploymentConditionsAndEvaluation/TeacherPayAndConditions.aspx

ENDS

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