School support staff in Budget bid at Minister's office

More than 100 support staff professionals, teachers, principals and whānau have descended on Education Minister Erica Stanford’s Auckland electorate office ahead of next week’s Budget, calling on the Government to increase funding for support staff.

The group arrived at the Browns Bay office this morning carrying a ‘Box for the Budget’, containing an open letter with over 22,000 signatures demanding the Government invest in essential school staff, including teacher aides, therapists, science technicians, librarians, kaiārahi i te reo and administrators.

The group had asked Minister Stanford to meet with them, but she declined.

“Right now, there are not enough teacher aides to give tamariki the support they need, and that’s heartbreaking to see,” says teacher aide, Jan Monds.

Mrs Monds says the underfunding is also hitting her, as well as her colleagues, hard.

“Many support staff professionals feel undervalued. We want to feel respected and secure in our jobs, but many of us keep seeing our hours cut because of the funding shortfall.”

Many are also hurt and furious after pay equity reviews they had in train were scrapped by the sudden law change last week.

“We are shocked and devastated by the Government’s pay equity announcement which affects so many of us. Not only have they gutted pay equity, but they did it under urgency, so no women could have their say. I’m so deeply offended by that,” says Mrs Monds.

NZEI Te Riu Roa, New Zealand’s largest education union, says there is a learning support crisis in schools, with a $2.5billion hole in funding. The union says a teacher aide is needed in every classroom.

“Next week on Budget Day, we hope to see a meaningful investment in learning support so all tamariki in Aotearoa can thrive," says Te Manukura President Ripeka Lessels.