Teacher comment
A commitment to pay parity for early childhood teachers has been a positive result of this Government’s latest term in office, but more attention is needed to address the urgent needs of kaiako in Aotearoa - essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Tens of thousands of primary and early childhood teachers are meeting across the country next month in an effort to improve our pay and working conditions. We also need to see a clear commitment from all political parties to fixing the understaffing that’s affecting the quality of education tamariki are receiving,” says Barb Curran, a South Canterbury teacher and NZEI Te Riu Roa National Executive primary teacher representative.
“The steep rise in the cost of living and increasing job demands on educators have taken their toll on educator wellbeing,” NZEI Te Riu Roa President Liam Rutherford said. “We are expecting a swift response from government with collective agreement offers that urgently improve our working conditions and hauora.”
World Teachers’ Day is marked annually and takes place on Friday 28 October in Australia and New Zealand.