Budget lack of provision for necessary education pay rises

Budget signals lack of provision for necessary education pay rises

This year’s Budget shows that the government has made alarmingly little provision for necessary salary increases for teachers and education support staff this year.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter says teachers will be going into bargaining later this year and will be expecting a necessary and fair pay rise.

“The government has been talking for some time about the need for quality teaching. Therefore it needs to ensure it can deliver on its side of the bargain and ensure teaching is fairly paid and that good teachers are attracted to and encouraged to remain in the classroom.

“While no one enters the teaching profession expecting to get rich, research consistently shows that in good education systems, teachers are fairly paid.

“We are concerned that the Finance Minister is trying to dampen any expectations of public sector pay rises. However if the government is going to claim it can manage the economy well, then it’s time to ensure that key sectors such as education are given a fair pay rise," he says.

ENDS

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