Education minister fails to address dire teacher shortage

“In the context of serious shortages in key subject areas and wider challenges in other subjects and in an increasing number of geographical areas today’s policy release is a fail”, says PPTA president Jack Boyle, in response to the education minister’s pronouncement today about how she will address the nationwide teacher shortage.

“The recruitment ‘initiatives’ she is touting fail in any way to make more people want to come into teaching. An investment in 15 extra places that may or may not add to the numbers seeking to train as teachers is basically meaningless.”

“New Zealand needs to replace 1750 secondary each year just to stay afloat. When we can’t even do that, announcing 15 new places for trainee secondary teachers is akin to announcing a pimple on a pumpkin”, he said, “It is about appearance, not substance”.

“Other elements of the package have their pros and cons but as yet there is nothing to address the recommendations the sector agreed with government in the teacher supply report last year”, Boyle says.

ENDS.

© Scoop Media