Still time for schools to access ongoing support

Recruitment update: Still time for schools to access ongoing support

The Ministry of Education will continue to support principals with their teaching vacancies beyond the start of the first term and well into the school year with a range of supply initiatives.

"If principals have any remaining teaching vacancies that they would like help to fill, we urge them to get in touch", says Ellen MacGregor-Reid, the Ministry’s Deputy Secretary for Early Learning and Student Achievement.

"Our focus has been on making available sufficient qualified teachers for principals to consider for vacancies, through a comprehensive and expanded supply package.

"We have successfully attracted 7,300 qualified overseas teachers wanting to teach in New Zealand, of which almost 1,000 have been screened and are available for interviews."

The Ministry’s recruitment agencies are now supporting these teachers to be considered for roles, having interviews, accepting job offers and completing all the requirements to come to

New Zealand.

"There has also been an ongoing focus on growing the number of Kiwi teachers. We want to help beginning teachers start their careers, as much as attracting career-changers into the profession. At the same time we are encouraging Kiwis to return to teaching if they have taken a break, or if they are overseas to teach here again."

New and expanded initiatives include:

- Allocating 230 National Beginning Teacher Grants and 60 Auckland Beginning Teacher places, to help increase the recruitment of new teachers.

- Expanding the Voluntary Bonding Scheme to Decile 1 - 3 state and state-integrated schools in Auckland, and to new teachers in shortage subjects e.g. sciences, maths, which targets graduates entering the teaching workforce.

- Helping more than 1,200 teachers enrol in the Teacher Education Refresh programme to either return or remain in the profession.

- Increasing the opportunities for people to apply for TeachNZ scholarships to three times a year, which encourages more people into teaching in the areas where there is the greatest need e.g. Science, Technology, Maths, Te Reo Māori and Māori medium.

For details about these and other initiatives go to the TeachNZ website.

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