No promises for teachers

Press, 10 February 1982, Page 1

No promises for teachers

PA Wellington Primary teacher representatives met the Minister of Education, Mr Wellington, yesterday, but received no assurances that more jobs would be found for them. The president of the Educational Institute. Mr David Stewart, said Mr Wellington told the representatives that he had no intention of recommending further stuffing or adaptations to absorb those still seeking positions. Mr Stewart said that the institute would continue to negotiate for those teachers to see if their needs could be met within the system. Mr Wellington had said earlier that all primary teachers who had a record of continuous service and who were "mobile" had teaching jobs when school started last week. He said only nine "mobile" teachers - those willing to accept a position anywhere — were without jobs, and all had broken service records. Classrooms had never been better staffed, he said. The proportion of male teachers

was increasing and a trained and qualified teacher was in front of everv child.

A staffing report prepared by the Education Department showed that 50 continu-ous-service teachers who had been unable or unwilling to take up positions were all expected to be working this week. But many immobile" teachers who wanted to return to teaching after broken service remained unemployed. said Mr Wellington.

"I have no intention of recommending to Government that immobile, brokenservice teachers should be found positions." said Mr Wellington. "I Cannot give an advantage to two or three popular residential areas over others, such as Southland. Otago. Nelson. Wanganui. and Taranaki." Broken-service teachers had not been represented as a priority by the Educational Institute, but many of them were in any case’ likely to find jobs during the year as other teachers resigned.