Relieving teachers

Teachers deserve a major hike in salaries and relief from unneeded book work and over the top recording of results, etc, that could be done by ancillary staff. (Syllabus requirements should be very clear in every subject.)

Study improves the ability of teachers, but often the teachers who are most valued by parents and pupils are among the less qualified ones at primary school levels. They are gifted, hard-working people who have just got IT. The same applies to every walk in life. (Some, for example, were just cut out for the newspaper business.)

Workers are generally not paid sufficiently for the jobs they do.

Good, fair prices and the farmers get the reward for hard slog. A trade hiccup and they are in trouble, which overflows on to society.

The trade war between China and the United States was predictable, as are other push and shove trade wars going on at present. I do believe the present stitchedtogether Government is sincerely doing its best for the vast majority of New Zealanders. They know that a successful farming and industrial climate is essential for the wellbeing of our country.

It would be completely irresponsible to spend everything and leave no reserve for emergencies. Decades of neglect and weak NZEI representation 20-plus years ago can’t be rectified in one big wage increase.

The defeated right wing party is hoping teachers will close schools in the New Year to help cause major problems for the government. If teachers do, and do not accept the Government’s “More later when we can afford it”, they may well shoot themselves in the foot and lose public support. SAM McHARG

Kerikeri