Minister dammed for her lack of care and understanding

Minister dammed for her lack of care and understanding

Pat Newman, President of Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association is scathing in his response to Minister Parata’s casual, uncaring and to be honest appalling response to the independent review on Principal Stress in her schools.

“To be honest,” said Mr Newman, “I should not have been surprised with Minister Parata’s lack of caring. When you are seen as the No 1 cause of the problem, you are unlikely to accept there is a problem, because then you would have to acknowledge your part in its making!”

What the study clearly shows, is that the continuously changing expectations from the Minister and her Ministry, often things that have little positive impact on children’s learning, have placed that much stress on principals, that fewer and fewer teachers aspire to the job.

I am not concerned about principals having stress in their job, but I am very concerned at the massive level of stress, and its results, that principals are currently under” stated Mr Newman. He went onto say, “As Minister responsible for the Education system, Ms Parata cannot continue to bury her head in the sand, pretending there is no problem, and attacking the messengers with distain!”

To be honest it would help to know she cared, even a little!

The Minister needs to own the problem and be accountable for it. The difficulty is though, to do that she has to listen for once to the profession and realise her way is not the way!”

ends

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