Hon David Benson-Pope

New statistics: 2700 extra teachers in New Zealand schools in the last five years

There are almost 2700 more teachers in our classrooms than five years ago, over and above those needed to match roll growth, latest Ministry of Education figures show.

Associate Education Minister David Benson-Pope says the figures demonstrate the government's commitment to raising education standards.

According to the statistics prepared by the Ministry of Education and based on 2004 confirmed roll data, there were 2,689 extra fulltime equivalent teaching positions created since 2000.

Broken down that was an extra 1,117 primary teachers, 1,271 secondary teachers, 250 extra teachers in area schools and 51 extra teachers in special schools.

"Research shows quite clearly that regardless of a student's background, quality teachers can and do make the biggest difference to student achievement," said Mr Benson-Pope.

"By putting more teachers in our schools, improving the support for new teachers starting out, and increasing what we pay our teachers, we are clearly signalling the importance we place on improving the education of young New Zealanders.

"By 2008 total funding for education will have increased by over 50 percent since Labour became the government in 1999."

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