Back to school for Little

Students at Wellington’s Island Bay School are in for a surprise today when they find Labour’s Andrew Little sitting at the desk where his wife would normally be.

The party leader will be getting behind the reception desk at Island Bay School where his wife, Leigh Fitzgerald, works as an administrator.

He is doing so as part of a campaign to highlight the importance of school support staff.

Little said he would initially sit in the front office where students sign in. As it will be the start of a new school term, there may also be new enrolments.

‘‘I will be under the instruction of my wife, so naturally I’ll be doing whatever I’m told.’’

He will then join a classroom with support staff and observe their work.

MPs from Labour, National, the Green Party and NZ First will also be doing work experience as teacher aides and other support staff at schools across the country.

The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) initiative hopes to focus attention on the need to better fund support staff.

NZEI president Lynda Stuart said school support staff played an important role but often got little more than the minimum wage.

The organisation would present MPs with a petition seeking better funding for schools today.