5 Aug 2018

Primary teachers highlight staffing crisis prior to strike

5:43 pm on 5 August 2018

Primary school teachers are launching a campaign to highlight the staffing crisis in schools.

Currently 90 percent of children start school within two weeks of their fifth birthday.

Currently 90 percent of children start school within two weeks of their fifth birthday. Photo: 123RF

They say the number of trainee teachers has fallen by 40 percent and within a decade New Zealand may be short by as many as 2000 primary teachers.

Teachers also plan to strike next week.

The campaign paid for by the Education Institute includes bill-stickers, billboards and online videos.

Teachers are also preparing for a community action day on Friday.

The union said most teachers had been offered a pay rise of about 2.5 percent a year for three years, and just 12 minutes extra time a week to work individually with children or plan and assess learning.

They want a 16 percent pay rise over two years.

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