NZEI MEDIA RELEASE: 13 August 2014

Teachers and principals vote on Government’s education proposal

Primary school teachers and principals are voting this week on whether or not to reject the government’s controversial $359m "Investing in Educational Success" policy. 

NZEI Te Riu Roa National President, Judith Nowotarski says principals, teachers, and many parents and Boards of Trustees have expressed deep concerns about the way the policy, which proposes a radical shake-up of schooling, has been introduced and what it speaks for.

“The feedback we’ve been getting is that the money should be spent directly on children’s education rather than on the proposed four new tiers of management within schools.

“Many teachers, principals, parents and Boards of Trustees want to see the money going towards smaller class sizes, 100 percent qualified teaching in early childhood, more support for special needs students, and better funding for school support staff to enable schools to provide more individualised teaching."

She says teachers and principals who have been attending meetings all over the country this week are deeply concerned about the way the government introduced the policy with no consultation.

“This is a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach to education and doesn’t reflect the needs of schools or their communities.”

For more information: Judith Nowotarski 027 475 4140 or Communications Adviser Debra Harrington 027 268 3291

06:54PM Wednesday, 13 August, 2014