Stand up to retain our quality teaching

26 October 2012
Immediate Release

Stand up to retain our quality teaching - World Teachers’ Day

World Teachers Day (celebrated today, 26th October) is an opportunity to celebrate the people who are pivotal to the success of New Zealand’s world ranking education system.

NZEI National President Ian Leckie says it is internationally recognised that highly trained, professionally qualified and motivated teachers, working in well-resourced and supportive environments, are key to providing quality education.

He says having robust qualification and registration processes for teaching is about putting children and their learning needs first.

Mr Leckie says quality teaching and learning is also critically important to developing and sustaining a viable economy and environment.

“Unfortunately, the current Government has reversed a target of achieving 100% qualified and registered teachers in early childhood education and has just introduced legislation permitting unqualified people to act as teachers in charter schools.

“If we are to be serious about giving our children the best start in life, then ensuring all teachers are qualified and registered is a no brainer,” he says. “Allowing unqualified people to act as teachers in charter schools is a serious backward step. It’s time the Government listened to the Ministry of Education, parents and the professionals and committed to 100% qualified and registered teachers for learners at any age.”

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