Teacher cut proposals ‘too drastic’

Press, 3 November 1981, Page 2

Teacher cut proposals ‘too drastic’

PA Tauranga A Government move to halve the intake of primary school teachers next.year is too drastic, according to the president of the Educational Institute (Mr David Stewart). Acknowledging the need to cut the number of trainees admitted to Teaching Colleges, Mr Stewart said yesterday there should never be less than 1200 recruits for primary and intermediate school training next year. Mr Stewart, who was in Tauranga to address a meeting of teachers, said the N.Z.E.I. was discussing with the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) the possibility of creating new teaching positions to deal with at-risk children or children with special needs. “We would hope the Minister would make a decision on these new positions in the near future. Time is running out as schools will be organising their staffing for next year. “It is necessary for the

Minister to make this decision before the election.” Mr Stewart said Mr Wellington had expressed “interest” in the area of children with special needs. It is believed the cut announced .by Mr Wellington will reduce the national intake of primary and intermediate school teachers from 1600 to 700. Mr Wellington said the number of trainees for all levels of teaching would be cut from 3300 to 1662. The cut in teacher trainees results from falling school rolls and the subsequent surplus of teachers, particularly in primary schools. Mr Stewart said he was concerned that the trainee teachers would not receive such a wide range of training if the staff levels at training colleges were cut. “We hope the colleges could retain their staffing strength by providing such things as in-service training for qualified teachers,” he said.