Concern over proposed cuts to undergraduate teacher training

30th September 2011

Concern over proposed cuts to undergraduate teacher training

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa is adding its concern to proposed changes to teacher training at Massey University.

In a paper, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University’s College of Education is proposing that all undergraduate teacher education be phased out. That would mean that students could only study teacher education through a one-year, post-graduate diploma.

New and beginning teachers who are part of NZEI’s Young and New Member Network, as well as members of the Massey University College of Education Students Association, have already raised alarm bells over the proposal.

NZEI President Ian Leckie agrees that the proposals are worrying and schools will be left to pick up the pieces.

“While there are some very good teachers who have completed graduate-only programmes, it should not be the preferred or only option available to those students wanting to go into teaching”.

“The undergraduate degree programmes give students a comprehensive and practically based course which is focused for three or four years on building a solid teaching foundation”.

“Forcing everyone through a compressed teacher training programme is not the answer to building a professional and quality teaching workforce and it sends a worrying signal about the future of teacher education overall,” he says.

In another proposal which could erode the quality of teacher education, the University wants to further reduce its costs by merging the Colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Education faculties. This would ultimately reduce the number of teacher lecturers involved in initial teacher education.

NZEI is urging Massey to listen to the concerns being expressed and take them on board before making any final decisions about changes to its teacher training programmes.

ENDS

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