Teachers leave ‘in third term’

Press, 15 April 1980, Page 4

Teachers leave ‘in third term’

PA . Wellington More than half the 1357 secondary leathers who left the teaching service last' year did so in the third term, according to a survey conducted by - the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association. . The latest issue of “P.P.T.A. News,” the association’s magazine, says 739 teachers left their jobs during the third term, more than 400 after less than five years service. The general secretary of the P.P.T.A. (Mr B. Webster) says it costs $lO,OOO to train each teacher. The “exodus” figures are based on responses by 223, .or 87.5 per cent, of 255 State schools . to which survey forms were sent. The most seriously affected subjects were English, science, mathematics, commercial, history, geography, and social studies. Almost 160 of the teachers gave strain of teaching or disillusionment

and dissatisfaction as their reason for leaving; others said they had better salaries, conditions, and prospects available elsewhere. , . The Minister of Education . (Mr ' Wellington). is quoted by the magazine as saying staff turnover was a problem in all parts of. the State service. There was a modern, tendency towards mobility in employment, particularly for people aged less than 40. Mr Wellington also noted that there was little increase in numbers . of teachers leaving the service during the third term last year compared with the increase during the same term in 1978.In j a response] Mr Webster says turnover in secondary teaching was higher — 13.8 per cent compared with 11.9 per cent — than other State services and was rising. He also , said the Minister had overlooked the fact that the average training and replacement cost for a State servant was much lower.