‘Staffing a problem in secondary schools’

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 7

‘Staffing a problem in secondary schools’

PA Wellington, The secondary school education service is not working efficiently, says the president of the Secondary Schools Boards’ Association, Mr Glen Evans. Mr Evans said at a Public Sector Tribunal hearing in Wellington to discuss the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association pay claim that his impression was that staffing and pay were far from satisfactory.

Mr Evans was asked by the advocate for the P.P.T.A., Mr Kevin Bunker, to discuss the results of an association survey on the teacher shortage. The problem of the recruitment and retention of secondary school teachers needed addressing, said Mr Evans. In some schools staffing problems undoubtedly were serious, but in others there was no problem. The result was not ac-

ceptable but not as bad as he had feared. A proper salary recognition for teachers was necessary, he said. If the Education Department contended that staffing was adequate, he would disagree, , he said. The tribunal is chaired by Judge N. P. Williamson. Other members are Messrs J. T. Ferguson and D. Topp. The two assessors are Mr John Grant for the P.P.T.A. and Mr Peter Atkinson for the Education Department.