Northland schools are grappling with merging classes, closures, and untrained teachers due to a dire relief teacher scarcity, as revealed in a Te Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association survey.
The principals’ president, Pat Newman, urges government intervention to avert an educational and staffing crisis.
The survey lays bare the harsh reality facing schools in Northland.
Of the 71 who responded, 55 have used their management time to cover teachers, 59 have doubled-up classes, five have been forced to send kids home, and 33 have used untrained teachers to watch kids. Some principals also said they’ve had no choice but to close the school when they couldn’t find relievers.
Principals were also asked about the number of days they were forced to give up management time, double-up classes, and/or put untrained teachers in the classroom. When the individual responses were combined, the survey showed there were a total of 336 days where principals gave up management time, 332 days where classes were doubled up, and 201 days where untrained teachers had to watch kids.
Newman says it’s totally unacceptable.
“The situation with relief teachers up here is that there are none.”
“For 201 days last term, pupils and students in Northland were taught by untrained teachers, and they were lucky to have those.”
Newman says they need an estimated 80 relief teachers for the 150 schools in Northland.
“We warned the ministry back in March, six months ago, that this was going to be a problem.”
Teachers have been in a tussle with the Ministry of Education over pay and working conditions, with strike action affecting the whole country. Hikurangi School principal Jody Edwards says the lack of relief teachers is a symptom of wider issues for teachers.
He also says the issue is at epidemic proportions in Northland.
“Teachers need to be valued and I think that’s the answer to why teachers are falling out of the workforce, they’re just not feeling valued. They’re burnt out.”
“We are at crisis point.”