31 Oct 2019

Schools facing 1000-teacher shortfall in 2020

From Checkpoint, 5:39 pm on 31 October 2019

Principals say they are scraping the barrel and hiring teachers they would prefer not to in a desperate bid to fill classrooms for the next year.

The Education Ministry is forecasting a shortfall of more than 1000 teachers - 860 primary teachers and 160 secondary teachers.

That's despite attracting 2,000 more teachers in 2018 and 2019.

Principals say they're not necessarily the teachers they want, and they're feeling the pressure as they recruit.

RNZ education correspondent John Gerritsen has the details.