Thursday 17th May 2012
Media Release
For Immediate Release
More For Less Is Not What Young Pacific Want Nor Deserve!
Education Minister Hekia Parata yesterday announced plans to implement performance pay for teachers but as a trade-off
to increasing the number of students in the classroom.
Pacific Island Rep on the Young Labour Executive Kieran Meredith believes the announcement lacks economic, educational
and moral sense.
“As many as 600 teaching positions could be cut which will only add to our grim unemployment rate whilst also raises
questions on the Government’s intention to increase job creation and growth.”
“The quality of teaching can be increased through a relevant and cohesive professional development scheme and also
providing teachers with the power and ability to create content for the curriculum which fosters to the needs and
abilities of students.”
“Performance pay incentives for teachers, depending on how it is measured, works against low decile schools where
incentives could be measured up against the national average which puts these schools and the abilities of these
teachers at risk.”
Mr Meredith says Minister Parata has gotten her priorities wrong believing she is taking a backwards step in addressing
Pacific unemployment, low university entrance rates and low educational outcomes within our young Pacific generations.
“At a time where our Pacific unemployment rate is at an all-time high, Hekia Parata decides to take the attention off
some of our most vulnerable and educationally disadvantaged children in the classroom, by increasing student ratio
numbers.” Says Meredith.
“Our younger Pacific generations will not be able to connect as effectively with the teacher if they are competing in
amongst 26 other children for the teacher’s attention.”
“We need to ensure our children feel valued through fostering teacher-student connections, providing our younger
generations with the attention needed to advance them educationally and to monitor their progress, one-on-one”
ENDS