$95m in Budget for new teachers

The Government is to pump $95 million into training 2480 additional new teachers.

In a pre-Budget announcement yesterday, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced $95m would go towards a range of initiatives to address the teacher shortage. But the Post Primary Teachers’ Association said it was a bandaid that would barely cover student roll growth or replace leaving teachers, nor would it ease the industrial dispute the union has with the Government.

The initiatives will support a total of 3280 teachers over the next four years, and will include incentives such as scholarships and contributions to the cost of living for students. “Our commitment towards thousands of additional teachers will be a shot in the arm to our schools,” Hipkins said.

Budget 2019 funds 2480 additional trainee teacher places.

It also supports 800 more beginning teachers into their first roles through the National Beginning Teacher Grant and the Voluntary Bonding Scheme expansion.

Earlier this year there was an increase in students going into the teaching profession, following a disastrous 43 per cent slump in the six years to 2016.

That six-year slump has led to a record teacher shortage, which the Government has filled by bringing in 225 foreign teachers. Almost one in every six Auckland schools started the school year this year with teaching vacancies.

“Schools are crying out for more teachers,” Hipkins said.

The Government will also partner with iwi to address the shortage of teachers skilled in te reo Ma¯ori through regional scholarships for Ma¯ori students.

PPTA president Jack Boyle said the announcement would only “maintain the current level of delivery in our schools”.

National Party education spokeswoman Nikki Kaye said the extra teachers would still fall short of the required number of teachers for the coming years by “thousands”.

Act leader David Seymour said the money would be better spent boosting teachers’ salaries.