Principals aim to set up national association

Press, 16 July 1987, Page 13

Principals aim to set up national association

PA Auckland A group of delegates at the national secondary principals’ conference in Auckland have met to begin to set up an organisation to give school heads more say in educational changes. A. group of Auckland school leaders believe a national principals’ association is needed to represent best their view. Delegates debated the issue in private for more than an hour. It is believed that, while some principals favour the proposed organisation, others are happy with the representation provided

by the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association and fear a new organisation could isolate principals from their staff. Mr Russell Jackson, of Waitakere College, said there seemed to be widespread support for the new group. “We want to set up a group to ensure principals have greater involvement and are consulted about education, particularly at time of great change,” he said.

Mr Jackson said he could see no clash between the new organisation and the P.P.T.A. Rather, he said, the

groups would be complementary. The principal of Waiuku College, Mr Charles Brown, said he believed the proposed organisation was unnecessary. He said principals already had adequate representation through the principals’ advisory committee in the P.P.T.A. and had more strength by sticking with rank-and-file teachers. “It is inevitable there would be dissension between the two groups if it (the new organisation) is set up, and will make the position of principals far less secure.”