National's Education spokesperson Gerry Brownlee says Trevor Mallard's 350 new teachers must be quality teachers that have incentives to stay in the profession if the $27 million is going to be a good investment in children's learning.

"Not one word of Mr Mallard's announcement mentioned the quality of teachers that he wants in front of the classrooms. We don't want graduates streaming out of teacher training like widgets from a factory.

"Our children need quality teachers in their schools, not just a body in front of the classroom.

"And once we get good teachers in the classroom we need to keep them there, but Mr Mallard didn't mention that either.

"The best way to improve learning in our schools is to improve the quality of graduates coming out of our training institutions and to keep the good ones in our schools.

"There is a real danger that training institutions will lower the standard of students they accept for teaching courses as the pressure goes on from schools demanding graduates to fill the positions," Mr Brownlee said.

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