Government allows non-qualified teachers into school system

2 August 2012

Government opens the door for non-qualified teachers into our school system

The Government has confirmed today that it will allow unregistered and qualified teachers to teach at schools in New Zealand.

NZEI President Ian Leckie says he can’t imagine any parent wanting to send their child to a school that employed unqualified teachers.

“Why would any parent want their child to be taught by an unqualified teacher?”

“No one would want to be treated by an unqualified doctor and we don’t employ unqualified engineers so why should we have unqualified teachers in our schools?

Mr Leckie says the unveiling of the Government’s Charter School model today confirms the worst fears of education professionals.

“How can the Government say it wants to improve the quality of teaching while at the same time allowing unqualified teachers into the system?”

The Charter School model is part of a deal the Government signed with the Act party in order to get its support in Parliament.

“This is a political deal with no educational merit to back it,” he says.

”It is extraordinary that the Government is intent on undermining our quality education system to adopt experimental policies that have already failed overseas. This is a major step backwards for quality education in New Zealand.

“We have one of the best public education systems in the world and the Government should be working with education professionals to improve achievement for disadvantaged and struggling children.”

“Instead, it seems prepared to use taxpayer money to fund business-owned schools with no proven record run by unqualified principals and teachers.

The Government has already tried to reduce the number of qualified teachers in the early childhood education sector and parents revolted against that. But now it seems intend on trying to do that again, this time in the school sector.”

ENDS

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