Pay talks for primary school teachers begin today, with the Government set to increase salaries for poor teachers.

The NZEI wants a 16 per cent increase for its members. That would mean bad teachers would get a pay rise of at least several thousand dollars.

“It is wrong that the best teacher and the worst teacher are paid the same” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“In nearly every industry in New Zealand, people are paid according to their merits. Why should teaching be any different?

“Every parent know which teachers are great and which aren’t.

“Yet, a shockingly small number of teachers are disciplined for incompetence.

“In 2017, there were 127,000 registered teachers. Only 28, or 0.02 per cent, had their registration cancelled.

“Compare this to the legal profession where lawyers are struck off at almost five times the rate.

“Teaching is a job for life.

“ACT would increase funding for teacher salaries by $1 billion, paying good teachers more and attracting the best graduates to the profession.

“If the Government hadn’t decided to splash out on corporate welfare for the regions and making university for free for tomorrow’s elite, it would be able to afford this policy.

“Education is the most important gift we can give our children.

“New Zealand kids should be taught by highly-skilled professionals.

“It’s time that we start paying teachers on merit”, says Mr Seymour.

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