Teachers’ attitude to reform criticised

Press, 31 March 1989, Page 11

Teachers’ attitude to reform criticised

By

JENNY LONG

The Post-Primary Teachers’ Association will “self-destruct” because of its inflexible attitude to education reform, says the Education Department’s director-general, Dr Russ Ballard.

Secondary school teachers have planned rolling stoppages, to begin next week, in protest at the attitude being taken by the State Services Commission over award talks.

The teachers say the commission’s insistence on contracts for principals, removal of principals from award cover and the introduction of pay flexibility will damage education by driving a wedge between principals and staff. Dr Ballard said yesterday that primary teachers had been able to reach a settlement and so, too, should secondary school teachers.

“In a year or'two, the primary teachers’ union will be the only teachers’ union, because they have a more reasonable attitude.” Dr Ballard said the new education system was being introduced to give a more equal balance of power between parents and teachers. “It is clear that at the moment the balance nf

power is strongly tipped in favour of the staff.”

The principal, who would be responsible for the daily running of the school, had to be held accountable to those who would establish policy (the boards of trustees), Dr'Ballard said. Clearly, one way to do that was to put the principal on contract. The primary teachers’ union appeared to have been able to resolve the issue satisfactorily, he said.

The N.Z.E.I. had agreed to three key accountability items: • Principals would have Xheir salaries set by the boards of trustees, within national guidelines.

• A performance agreement for what was wanted for the school would be set at the beginning of each year, between each principal and individual boards of trustees.

• That a “clear understanding” that performance appraisal and discipline procedures were to be worked out between the employer and individuals.

“There’s no reason why we should not achieve the same with the P.P.T.A. as long as we can get back around the table,” Dr Ballard said.

He was opposed to fixed term contracts because problems would be passed from principal to principal. . However, renewable contracts would make principals accountable.

Dr Ballard also dispelled “one of the myths that is around, that boards of trustees will be spending all their time on industrial problems.”

The umbrella boards organisation would negotiate with the teacher unions, he said.

Also, given that 95 per cent of teachers were competent, boards would not have to spend a lot of time resolving the problems of incomufetent teachers. "The for doing so would be much clearer, he said.