Calls to axe fee to ease teacher shortage
Scrapping a fee for compulsory training forced on some mothers trying to return to teaching would be a key step to solving the teacher shortage crisis, experts say.
The dwindling number of teachers has been felt nationwide especially in Auckland.
Teachers who have left the profession but want to return - such as mothers coming back from raising their own children - must sit a Teacher Education Refresher (TER) course. It costs $3500.
Many in the industry believe the high cost of the course and confusion around who is required to do it has stopped a number of quality teachers from coming back to the profession.
Auckland primary school teacher Kirsty Lonsdale wanted to return to teaching after having children but said it would have been a struggle to stump up the thousands of dollars for the course fees and pay for child care for her two children while she did the course.
‘‘I was starting to rethink my whole career because of the financial barrier which would have been a shame because I love teaching.’’
She graduated in 2011 and was on a provisional certificate. She started relief teaching after she had her first child and with the upcoming birth of her second faced the fee if she returned to teaching when the baby turned one.
President of teachers’ union NZEI Lynda Stuart said There are a lot of people who think they need to do it when they don’t, relief teachers in particular often think they need to complete TER but this is often not the case.
Maree Stavert, principal at Glen Eden Intermediate in west Auckland, agreed the cost of the refresher course had been a barrier for some people wanting to return to teaching.
‘‘In my opinion it’s important for the Government to do all they can to address the current teacher shortage.’’
The course is a requirement for teachers who want to return to teaching who have been out of the profession for a number of years.
A spokesperson for the Education Council said it was invested in ensuring the quality of training provided.
The aim of the course was to ensure teachers returning to the profession were up to standard with current teaching practices.
On the election campaign trail, Labour had promised to scrap the fee.