Bleak prospects for Canty primary teachers

Press, 10 December 1983, Page 9

Bleak prospects for Canty primary teachers

Although there are two months to the beginning of the next school year, early indications are that some Canterbury primary school teachers could be without jobs in 1984.

A report at yesterday’s meeting of the Canterbury Education Board showed that 80 bonded teachers had jobs next year, but a further 45 teachers under bond were still unplaced. The board was committed to find jobs for these teachers, and all bonded teachers shodld receive advice of their positions either just before Christmas or just after the board’s office reopened in January. However, another 192 unbonded teachers had also applied for jobs. Eighty of these had completed three years continued service, 55 have completed four or more years continued service, and 57 had broken service records. The board’s staff estimated there would be between 70 to 80 longterm relieving positions available during the first term to which these teachers could be appointed. The report was to be presented in committee but

Mr R. F. Armstrong moved that it be discussed in open meeting, as he believed teachers had the right to know what the situation was. This would give them the chance to seek alternative employment if they wished, he said. While board members were concerned about the situation, it was emphasised that it could change over the next two months.

Since this report was made at the end of November, another 13 positions had been made available for the 45 unplaced bonded teachers, Mrs N. Johnson said. The executive officer of teacher services, Mr K. N. Palmer was anxious that teachers did not start to panic as only the first round of placements had been made and there were another two months to the beginning of the next school year.

He said some of the 192 teachers who had applied for relieving positions had also applied for positions with other boards.

The chairman, Mr D. L. Waghorn, thought it was premature to worry about the situation at this stage

and expected the board would be able to make a more positive statement at the end of January. Mr Armstrong said the problem was compounded by the many teachers’ college graduates this year, but he, too, was hopeful that most of these teachers would have positions offered to them. Classrooms

The Education Department has asked the board to make three unit classrooms available to Hagley High School. These classrooms were needed to provide accommodation for pupils transferring from Four Avenues School, and because of a general increase in the school roll. As a result, classrooms have been removed from the North New Brighton, Linwood Avenue, and Avondale schools, but several board members were unhappy about this.

Mrs R. J. Cowell said that she was concerned that the classrooms were released to the secondary education system when they could be used to improve the quality of primary education.