An NZEI Te Riu Roa insights survey reveals that specialist resource teachers fear vulnerable tamariki will be left without vital literacy support this year, following the disestablishment of their roles at the end of 2025.
The NZEI survey found that while some former Resource Teachers of Literacy (RT Lit) and Resource Teachers of Māori (RT Māori) have secured new roles or begun retraining, others are now looking for work – with several considering moving overseas.
Maree Dargan, an educator with nearly 20 years of experience, including six as a RT Lit, warns that the need for specialist intervention has never been higher. In her experience, at least a third of students in every class are currently performing one to two years below their expected age level.
"We don't throw children into the deep end if they can't swim; we put them in the learners pool," says Ms Dargan. "But right now, we are removing the very safety net these children rely on."
The loss of these resource teacher positions leaves a vacuum for students who struggle with dyslexia or language disorders and require intensive, individualised support to catch up.
"There appears to be no one left to work with these students," says Raewyn Gibbs, another veteran teacher of 45 years. "Without specialist support, these children will simply not progress."
"I am gutted," RT Lit Lara Fraser shared. "I am worried about the children who will no longer receive the help they so desperately need."
Beyond the classroom, the disestablishment of these roles has taken a heavy toll on the educators themselves. Many report high levels of stress and anxiety as they face the reality of mortgages and lost livelihoods.
"In my 22 years of teaching, I have never felt more attacked as a professional," says RT Lit Jacinta Loto, who opted for severance.
NZEI sought a judicial review of the Government's decision to defund resource teachers of Māori and literacy roles in primary schools as part of Budget 2025, but the High Court dismissed the challenge last October. NZEI is appealing the High Court's decision and expects a hearing in the Court of Appeal in March.
Ministry of Education data show that 121 RT Lit and 53 RT Māori full-time positions existed across the country before the cuts.