One of our local Lower Hutt principals has worked out the maths at a national level and found that "The increase in student teacher ratios saves $173.930m over 4 years and 'savings will be re-invested in initiatives to improve the quality of teaching'. Interestingly, only $59.807m of this makes its way to "Improving the quality of teaching" (ie: actually doing this) and this is only a contingency, as they have not given any indication as to how they will actually do that! I'm not sure what they're doing with the other $115m?!"
The revelation that the reduction in Year 7/8 staffing ratios INCLUDES specialist teachers, will also mean a significant impact for senior students here at Maungaraki. I have spoken to Mike Gillatt (principal at Hutt Intermediate) the impact on them is signifcant, meaning that we will either have to hand over some of our staffing (increasing class sizes here at Maungaraki) to continue to receive the technology service or (in a worst case scenario) the service would have to be cut. Specialist/Technology classes at Year 7/8 have long been a feature of the New Zealand education system that we all value. We will continue to work closely with Hutt Intermediate to look for solutions to this problem.
~ STOP PRESS ~
Yesterday's NZ Herald suggests that the Govt is rethinking it's approach to staffing Year 7/8 students, with a working party being set up to look into the issue and to manage the change in staffing over the next 4 years. To my mind, this is just "smoke and mirrors" purely delaying the change with the nett impact remaining the same - Watch this space!
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