Teacher shortage bites
National Party Education spokesman Bill English says the teacher shortage gripping New Zealand is bound to get worse,
before it gets better.
He's responding to the Education Ministry's desperate bid to recruit 272 teachers for our secondary schools, just weeks
out from the start of the first term.
"Again this year, Kiwi kids can look forward to bigger classrooms, with less experienced teachers in front of them.
"Ninety-nine of the un-filled positions are in middle or senior management. This comes in the same year that schools are
facing their biggest administrative challenge of implementing all three levels of the NCEA.
"While the number of vacancies is down on last year (316), it has set the scene for a difficult industrial round," says
Mr English.
"There are big shortages in technology and other specialist areas for teachers who have non-degree status. Trevor
Mallard must take some responsibility for failing to solve the problem of G-3 equivalency - which would give non-degree
teachers pay parity with degree teachers.
"Teachers with years of technical and industry experience are leaving, because the current pay structure does not
recognise their on the job, or hands-on history.
"Even the PPTA agrees this crisis needs to be solved.
"It's an issue that's been simmering for more than 18 months and while various solutions have been suggested - the
Minister has taken no action.
"Instead, he's taking steps to make sure he's in charge of deciding when to dock the pay of teachers involved in
industrial action (State Sector Amendment Act).
"It's clear the Minister is intent on removing the powers of school boards to make their own decisions, and it's just as
obvious he's preparing for industrial rounds plagued with conflict during 2004 and 2005.
"This is a price that students and parents will continue to pay for Labour's quick fix solution to the teacher strike
ahead of the last election. National believes this situation should have been sorted out properly when Labour was
attempting to buy the silence of those teacher unions. "If we want to retain the best teachers in specialist areas like
technology, then the Government must introduce a mechanism to recognise that vital on the job and industry experience,"
says Mr English.