Primary teachers and principals have committed to taking action next year in order to give every child more teacher time, and attract more people to teaching.
At their annual conference in Rotorua today, members of NZEI Te Riu Roa committed to fighting for pay and workload changes that will help retain and recruit teachers, and free teachers to teach.
Collective agreements for primary principals and teachers are up for negotiation in the middle of next year.
“Children go to school to learn the critical skills and abilities they’ll need when they grow up, and for that they need teachers to have time to teach,” said NZEI president Lynda Stuart.
“Right now, children are missing out on some opportunities to learn because their teachers are bogged down in administration and testing, or are struggling to get support for children with additional needs.
“To make matters worse, children are increasingly in doubled up classes because their school can’t find enough teachers.
“Teachers and principals are fed up with seeing children miss out on the education they deserve and we’re tired of trying to hold the system together when it’s broken.
“It’s time to get serious about giving our children the best education in the world and to focus on what’s really going to make a difference.
Source: Teachers commit to action, if needed, to free teachers to teach