PPTA supports calls to address technology teacher

Media Release
19 June 2007

PPTA supports calls to address technology teacher crisis

PPTA is encouraged by National Party leader John Key’s pledge to address the technology teacher crisis, president Robin Duff said today.

Mr Duff said Labour's undervaluing and marginalisation of technology teachers prevented many technology teachers from reaching the top of the secondary teaching salary scale.

“The Ministry's 'convenient' interpretation of the Alternative Disputes Resolution panel’s (ADR) decision in January 2003, was an attempt to reduce flow on of the costs of the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement in 2002 to primary teachers. Technology teachers, the curriculum and students paid the cost instead.

“The result is that schools are now struggling to recruit and retain technology teachers to cover the full range of technological areas, some teachers are moving to the trades because of better pay and working conditions and others have reached retirement age.

“With no way to reach the top of the pay scale if they come into teaching without a degree level qualification, trades people are discouraged from becoming secondary teachers.

Mr Duff said teacher training providers were also closing down technology courses because so few people were applying to be technology teachers.

“That New Zealand faces persistent and severe skill shortages across a range of occupations - and particularly trades is not new and that will worsen if we do not have an adequate supply of specialist technology teachers in our schools.”

Mr Duff said PPTA believed that those coming from the trades should go through proper teacher training, but suggested that they could be given financial incentives to make the transition.

“Being supported through their study and also when they begin teaching will make it easier for those considering teaching as a career.

“Furthermore, it’s important that once they enter teaching that they are not barred from the top of the salary scale.

“Broadly speaking, it’s also important that we boost pay and conditions for all secondary teachers in order to make the profession more attractive for all new graduates.”

ENDS

Click here for a copy of PPTA’s research Technology: theory without practice research (link is http://www.ppta.org.nz/cms/imagelibrary/101893.doc)

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