Plummeting teacher morale unsurprising

Plummeting teacher morale in our primary and intermediate schools is an inevitable consequence of five years of the National Government bagging the profession, Labour's Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“A study by the Council for Educational Research found teachers’ morale has dropped by 12 per cent and that of principals by 15 per cent in the past four years. Over the same period there has been an 11 per cent increase in principals reporting high or very high levels of stress.

“For the past five years the National Government has been telling parents and communities they can't trust the judgment of their children's teachers. It's no wonder teachers are feeling under siege.

“Every week I visit staffrooms and classrooms throughout the country where principals regularly telling me morale is the lowest they have ever seen it.

“Hekia Parata's heavy-handed approach to the teaching profession is clearly evident in her current plan to remove all democratic representation from the board of the Teachers' Council replacement, EDUCANZ.

“Can you imagine the fuss if the Government tried to take complete control of the legal profession or the medical profession in the way it is trying to take over teaching? There would be outrage, and rightly so.

“The first step to improving morale among teachers is sending them a clear signal they are valued and trusted by Government. Allowing teachers democratic control over their own regulatory body would be a great place to start,” Chris Hipkins says.
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