Eighty three per cent of New Zealand parents want the Government to fund a teacher aide in every classroom, according to results of a new survey that reveals strong cross-party backing for urgent investment in learning support.
The survey, commissioned by NZEI Te Riu Roa, shows that the desire for better classroom support transcends the political divide.
National and Labour voters are firmly aligned on the issue, with 82 per cent and 89 per cent support respectively, signalling a clear public expectation for the Government to act. The move is also favoured by 68 per cent of ACT voters and 93 per cent of Green and Te Pati Māori supporters.
Amanda, two of whose three sons have learning disabilities, said teacher aide support – though limited - has been essential.
Her second son, who is 9 years old and in Year 5, has ADHD and dyslexia. “For him, reading is an issue. Everything pins on being able to read, even maths these days. It’s not just numbers on a page; it’s word questions. You’ve got to be able to read that to do the maths,” she said.
“If he didn’t have a teacher aide going over the material the teacher has just taught him, getting that extra practice and repetition, he wouldn’t be anywhere near as far along as he is.”
Amanda’s eldest son, who is 12 and in Year 8, has autism and dysgraphia. Despite being incredibly bright and functioning academically two years ahead of his peers, he still requires targeted support.
“The reality is that there are not that many teacher aides and there is not enough funding, but there is so much need for them. There are so many kids with challenges.”
Nicola, whose 10-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son both have ADHD, says teacher aide support has been invaluable, yet remains spread too thin.
“My children would be so much further behind if they didn’t have the support of a teacher aide. Having that tailored assistance has made a huge difference,” she said.
“However, their school doesn’t have enough teacher aides to go around. Teacher aides might spend an hour in one classroom before moving to another to support other children in need. They can’t spend even half a day in one classroom because they are needed elsewhere. Once the teacher aide leaves, my kids feel lost; they can’t keep up with the demands of the school day alone.”
The survey also showed that 82 per cent of parents back a fundamental shift in how school support staff are funded to ensure job security and stable hours.
This push for change enjoys majority support across all political affiliations, peaking at 91 per cent among Green voters and remaining strong at 74 per cent among ACT voters.
“People need job security. They need to know they can pay their rent, buy food, and look after their own families. If they don’t have that security, they’ll go somewhere else and we’re gonna lose these amazing teacher aides who support our kids,” Amanda said.
“These results send a message to policymakers that New Zealanders see the current funding model as broken and are demanding a secure, permanent workforce to support their children’s education,” Teacher aide and NZEI Te Riu Roa national member leader Ally Kingi said.