More teachers allocated

Press, 7 December 1988, Page 2

More teachers allocated

By

JENNY LONG

More guidance counsellors and transition education teachers will work in secondary schools next year, after the announcement of a $l5 million package from the Government.

A total of 229 extra secondary school teachers will be appointed. Of those, 117 will work in transition education, which offers programmes such as work experience, or life skills, so that pupils are better prepared when they leave school. A further 42 positions will be created to ensure co-ordination of existing careers, guidance and transition activities, said the Associate Minister of Education, Mr Goff. Full-time guidance counsellors will be pro-

vided for 24 integrated schools with rolls of more than 400. This will bring them into line with provisions made in all other State secondary schools with more than 400 pupils. The national president of the New Zealand Counselling and Guidance Association, and Shirley Boys’ High School counsellor, Mr Tony Ambrose, said the association was delighted at the provision which gave the counsel-

lors to integrated schools. The association has been campaigning for it for some time, although there was a need for still more counsellors, he said. A “freeze” on the appointment of counsellors some years ago had left some larger State schools, of perhaps 1000 pupils, still with just one counsellor, he said. Other provisions in the package are increased assistance for career and personal guidance time in small secondary schools and area schools.

More than 37 new teaching positions are also provided for Te Atakura teachers, who are fluent in Maori language. These teachers assist other teachers within the school and provide liaison between the schools and the Maori community. In-service training of teachers involved in transition education, and ancillary staffing, are also provided in the package.