“Certain vocal principals’ responses to ACT policy this morning shows exactly why teacher pay and conditions, and student test scores, have declined under their leadership”, says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Yesterday, ACT announced it would raise standards for teachers to re-register, including meeting higher standards in maths, English and science.

“We also announced a $250 million Teaching Excellence Reward Fund where principals can use their discretion to award good teachers.

“Some principals have this morning said they don’t want more money for teachers. They make every excuse under the sun.

“One, Perry Rush, said ‘teaching is a collaborative profession not a competitive one,’; and ‘the promise of more money just isn’t going to drive performance,’ Really, Perry? Do you not think workers in the rest of the economy collaborate? Where have you been?

“Auckland Grammar has had this policy, privately funded, for years. They call it the Academic Endowment Fund. Are these vocal minority of principals who go on the radio really saying Auckland Grammar can do it but they cannot?

“Another, Claire Amos suggested it would be better to pay teachers for more non-contact time. That is, to pay for teachers to spend less time with students. This is the standard of leadership we are getting.

“The truth is we need to better recognise excellence in the teaching profession and bring more excellent people into the profession. The way to do that is start paying good people more.

“If the self-appointed leaders of the profession keep giving such mediocre and myopic responses to anything new, even offers of money for hard working teachers, then it is time to liberate teachers from under their yoke and get someone in who can to the job.”

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