Category: Unions

Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)

“The NCEA Level 1 results are particularly concerning. However, the young people in these cohort made the transition to secondary school, which is a huge adjustment from primary and intermediate, during extremely disruptive years. Many of them have probably not settled fully into the routines, study habits and disciplines of life as a secondary school student. I really hope that the next stage of their secondary schooling is far more settled and smooth, and they can begin to reach their potential.”

Chris Abercrombie said the disruption caused by COVID lockdowns, and ongoing COVID-related sickness and absences of both teachers and students, continued to take its toll. “Last year’s Year 13 students, for instance, did practically all their secondary education in extremely disrupted times. While teachers worked hard to get these students through NCEA, the evidence is very clear. Students benefit significantly from regular classroom lessons. There is no substitute.

“It’s also clear, tragically, that the worsening shortage of subject specialist teachers is starting to bite. The latest PPTA Te Wehengarua staffing survey found that nearly 60 percent of secondary schools have teachers teaching subjects outside their specialist areas. I have no doubt that these teachers are working their hardest to fill the gaps. However, all students need – and deserve – to have teachers who know ther subject inside out and who can enable students to build a wide and deep knowledge of the subject.

“We urge the government to show its mettle and find effective and lasting solutions for the secondary teacher shortage. Every young person in Aotearoa New Zealand has a right to a specialist teacher in every subject. The future of Aotearoa New Zealand depends on it.”

Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)

“This means that more and more young people risk missing out on the deep grounding in subjects that they should be getting”, says Chris Abercrombie, PPTA Te Wehengarua president.

The survey, carried out in March 2024, found that 56% of schools had teachers working in non-specialist areas because they could not find suitably qualified staff. This is the highest number on record since the survey began in 1996.

“Students need teachers who know their subject area inside out, are passionate about it and can stretch students’ knowledge and skills.

“It’s not fair on teachers either; they are specialists who have studied their particular subject to university graduate level – often beyond – and have an amazing knowledge of the subject. It’s far more rewarding teaching from a wealth of knowledge and experience, rather than simply trying to keep one step ahead of your students.”

Chris Abercrombie said it was clear from the survey results and accompanying principals’ comments, that the secondary teacher shortage is growing not just across a small number of subject areas but across all. The shortage is affecting schools in big cities just as much as in the traditionally harder to staff rural areas. The number of New Zealand-trained teachers applying for classroom teaching jobs has never been lower.

“Schools and teachers are working extremely hard to ensure the quality of education for young people is up to a great standard – but unless the issues are addressed urgently, we have serious fears for the education of the next generation of young New Zealanders.

“Fast tracking residency for overseas teachers is a bandage, not a solution. We need a constant and abundant supply of New Zealand trained and qualified secondary teachers. If Prime Minister Luxon wants an end to his apparently sleepless nights worrying about education, his government needs to solve this shortage by making secondary teaching a first choice career.

“Secondary teaching is amazing and hugely satisfying. It needs to be resourced properly with salaries and conditions that attract young people to become teachers, keep highly skilled and experienced teachers in the profession, and that encourage the thousands who have left teaching to return.”

The survey was responded to by 125 secondary and area school principals around Aotearoa New Zealand.

PPTA Te Wehengarua 2024 staffing survey

Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)

“We are seeing increasing numbers of students with additional needs in our secondary schools. There is an urgent  need for more effective interventions to enable these ākonga to make the most of the educational opportunities available.
“We look forward to receiving more details of what the Minister has in mind.”

Kate Gainsford says principals also looked forward to learning more about the Government’s priorities for teacher training, including leadership development pathways. While this is promising for the future,
the ‘fundamental changes’ needed, include a workforce for the present.

“Secondary teaching needs to be a first choice career that rewards people well, is properly resourced and has clear and dynamic pathways, particularly around leadership development.

“Leading a school is an extremely satisfying role, it comes with an amazing amount of responsibility – for ensuring rangatahi achieve their full potential and that kaiako are supported and enabled to bring their best selves to the classroom every day.

“Clear pathways to nurture and develop school leaders are greatly needed – and we look forward to hearing more about this and having a constructive engagement with the Minister.”

Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)

“We need, and look forward to receiving soon, details of the six education priorities announced by the Minister today. However, any secondary school principal will tell you that the glaring problem that needs to be resolved urgently  is ensuring there are enough specialist subject teachers. Without them, the whole secondary education system is in serious trouble.”

 A new staffing survey report, carried out by PPTA Te Wehengarua in March, found the numbers of secondary teachers teaching subjects outside their specialist areas is at record highs.

“This means that more and more young people risk missing out on the deep grounding in subjects that they should be getting,” says Chris Abercrombie.

The survey, carried out in March 2024, found that 56% of schools had teachers working in non-specialist areas because they could not find suitably qualified staff. This is the highest number on record since the survey began in 1996.

“Students need teachers who know their subject area inside out, are passionate about it and can stretch students’ knowledge and skills.

“We need to get these foundations right before focusing on other priorities.”

Chris Abercrombie said he was also concerned that the clinical nature of the priorities announced today risked losing sight of the heart of education: the ākonga (students). “You can have all the monitoring, assessments, science-based models and systems in the world but unless you have the ākonga at the centre of all you do, these ‘priorities’ will count for nothing.

“No student is the same, and no student learns the same – an education system that fails to acknowledge that will lose the students very quickly.”

Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)

Moeke Paaka’s appointment as kaumātua of PPTA Te Wehengarua is a culmination of more than 30 years of service to the
union. Moeke served as a member and convenor of Te Huarahi Māori Motuhake – PPTA’s Māori executive – for more than
20 years and was at the forefront in facilitating Te Tiriti-based dialogue and bicultural relationships.

His professional skills as a counsellor has helped union members in many challenging situations. He has always tried to approach people and issues with an open mind and a view towards restoration – a practice he established not long after he started teaching at Motueka High School in the early 1990s.

Also at Motueka, Moeke set up what was probably one of the very first models of co-governance in Aotearoa – a Runanga Maatua or parent support body, which established a partnership with the Board of Trustees. These parents were a part of the decision making process for the education of their children.

“At the time this was profound and
exciting for Māori parents. I could see
their determination and confidence as
we talked.

“I helped them to set some specific
educational goals for their kids. We
talked and came up with one goal: Māori
academic achievement at school. The
first thing was to imagine kids staying at
school until Year 13 – that became our
first goal.

“Dealing with discipline matters was our
second goal and attendance was the
final goal.”

In the mid-1990s a television documentary showcased the schools for its achievements in Māori students’ academic outcomes, and attendance and retention rates. Moeke says his dream and his passion was always to continue to improve Māori academic success. “Success in education controls to a major extent our destiny. For me, education leads to a decent standard of living and pride. It’s as simple and as passionate as that.”

The Association’s kaumātua and whaea are chosen by Te Huarahi to assist and support Association matters and they
participate in all aspects of PPTA Te Wehengarua, from conferences and seminars through to regular executive
meetings. The kaumātua and whaea are responsible for establishing and maintaining PPTA Te Wehengarua kawa and tikanga.

Kawa is the protocol and etiquette associated with the process of formal gatherings. Kawa does not change and once the kawa is fixed, these processes must be followed to maintain status of the iwi/organisation and safety through awareness.
Tikanga means doing what is right. Tikanga is the process of how kawa is implemented and is adaptable. The adaptability of tikanga is associated with the need for change which is often aligned to internal and external influences and the necessity to uphold manaakitanga.

Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)

Shontelle Helg, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland southern ward 

Ensuring teaching and learning in South Auckland is seen in a
positive light and making sure teachers’ voices are heard during
the implementation of the new NCEA Level 1 are some of the key
issues for PPTA Te Wehengarua members in Tāmaki Makaurau
southern ward, says Shontelle.
After she gets to grips with what being an executive member
is all about, Shontelle wants to focus on making sure
intermediate and middle school teachers and learning coaches
have a voice. “I also want to make sure South Auckland’s voice
is represented and heard.
“Our schools are doing amazing things for our learners, we
have such a rich multicultural nature in South Auckland and it’s
important to celebrate it.”
Shontelle, who is a Learning Coach at Ormiston Junior College
(OJC), has been an active member of PPTA Te Wehengarua
throughout her 20 years of teaching. Highlights of her union
activism so far include being the youngest recipient of the Guy
Allan award for activism and seeing the OJC branch, of which
she was chairperson, grow from two to three members, when it
started, to more than 60 members when she stepped down.
The best things about PPTA Te Wehengarua are its solidarity
and inclusiveness, she says. “When we come together on union
matters, the unspoken, shared reason we are all here is for the
betterment of those that follow us.”

Shannon-Mae Read, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa

Working with more of the membership, not only activists,
is one of Shannon-Mae Read’s goals as an executive member.
“A lot of our members don’t have direct access to executive or
understand the structure and how the union works.”
Shannon-Mae, Head of Art at Upper Hutt
College, has been PPTA’s Hutt Valley Rainbow representative
for the last three years, and branch secretary for five years.
She is also a member of the Network of Establishing Teachers,
having begun teaching only eight years ago.
She says workload is a key issue for members. “The collective
agreement settlement was a step forward financially but in
terms of conditions, it didn’t make a significant dent in our
workload. I think it speaks to bigger issues in the profession as
well – it’s why we don’t have as many teachers coming through
and why many are leaving.”
For her, the best things about PPTA Te Wehengarua are
whakawhanaungatanga and community. “There is no better
network of humans who care. I could also add PLD (professional
learning and development) and everything I’ve learnt about the
profession and workers’ rights – but it is ultimately he tangata,
the people.”

Hemi Ferris-Bretherton, Te Huarahi Mana Motuhake

Hemi says his top priority as an executive member is to place
kaupapa Māori to the forefront and advocate for his kaiako Māori fraternity. “My first experience of an
executive meeting recently was certainly an eye opener. I had been warned that there are many different standing committees and many HXs (decision making papers) that come before you to speak on.”
Hemi, a teacher of Te Ao Haka at Te Kura o Hirangi, says he
is looking forward to working on the executive in ‘a post
settlement phase’ and meeting challenges posed by the new
coalition government.
“The issues for kaiako Māori are numerous and include a
shortage of resources, realigning the TRM (Te Reo Māori)
standards, and schools’ ability to find relievers for teachers
wanting to take part in meaningful PLD.”
Hemi says the lack of access to the MITA (Māori Immersion
Teachers’ Allowance) has long been a bug bear for many kaiako
in mainstream settings. The Community Liaison Allowance
trial, part of the new collective agreement, is an attempt to
address that. “This is being trialled currently in a number
of areas throughout the motu and I’m really hoping that it
becomes successful.”

Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)

“First and foremost, we want to express our concern and sympathy to the huge number of people who are losing their jobs because of the Government’s stubborn commitment to tax cuts that it cannot afford. We are talking about people’s livelihoods here and it must be incredibly stressful and worrying – everyone who has been told today that they no longer have a job is in our thoughts. Kia kaha.

He says the number of jobs being cut at the Ministry of Education was equivalent to the staffing of 10 average-sized secondary schools.

“Sadly, we have seen situations before where Ministry of Education positions are done away with, only to create a gaping hole in essential work and support for schools and teachers further down the track. I have no doubt that this is the case today. One area that troubles us greatly is the cut to staffing in the NCEA change and curriculum refresh programmes. These programmes are at the heart of teaching and learning and young people’s qualifications and opportunities.

“The work will still need to be done and it will most likely mean school leaders and teachers will pick up the shortfall, creating further pressure on an already straining system.

“Staffing cuts in these areas make a bit of a mockery of the Education Minister’s announcement recently about slowing down implementation of the NCEA levels 2 and 3 changes. The extension of the timeline was meant to enable more work to be done on the curriculum changes and ensure that the assessment changes were developed as effectively and robustly as possible. How can this happen when you’re axing a whole team of staff whose jobs were dedicated to this?

“These cuts will have serious ramifications – maybe not immediately but increasingly over the next couple of years.”

Chris Abercrombie said PPTA Te Wehengarua appreciated the Ministry’s offer of a briefing later this week to get more details of the cuts and the implications.