Waikato teachers set to strike

Secondary school children are likely to be staying home on September 15 as Waikato teachers join colleagues around the country in the first teacher strike in six years.

Secondary school teachers voted overwhelmingly at Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) meetings last week to strike after rejecting the Government's latest pay offer.

Plans are also in place for a series of rolling strikes later in the year, while teachers could boycott after-school meetings if they run too late.

Waikato PPTA regional chairperson and Hamilton Girls' High School teacher Jo Belgrave said the Education Ministry's latest offer "takes away things teachers have gained over the last year", and will create "conditions that will prejudice kids learning".

"We need to make it clear to parents what they stand to lose if the agreement, as it is today, was accepted," she said, describing the planned September 15 strike as a "last resort".

Ms Belgrave said Waikato schools had lost a large number of teachers this year to schools in the Middle East and China because of better working conditions, and higher pay in those regions.

The Waikato PPTA has more than 1000 union members at the secondary level.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday called teachers "out of touch" with their stance over pay offers, which he said were better than what many in the public and private sector could expect.

Meanwhile, Waikato principals have sent a strong message to the Education Ministry on national standards.

A recent survey, conducted by the Waikato Principals Association showed that around 90 per cent of the 89 principals who responded agreed with the New Zealand Principals' Federation stance that National Standards would not deliver the outcomes as intended.

The on-line survey also showed that 85 per cent of principals felt a complete revision of the system was needed.

Pat Poland, Waikato Principals Association president and Deanwell School principal, said the survey's results presented an "overwhelming" message that the National Standards needed to be revised.

"The message is the standards have got to change," he said.

The Times approached the ministry for comment yesterday but none was available when this edition went to press.

Mr Poland encouraged school boards of trustees to rally behind their principals in opposition to the National Standards system.

"If we get enough boards of trustees doing that, the Government will listen," Mr Poland.

More than 50 principals who responded to the survey also indicated they would be keen to contribute to a "fighting fund".

Mr Poland also claimed there had been "widespread dissatisfaction" with the ministry's training sessions for staff on national standards.

The sessions have been offered once a term so far this year with two or three teachers from each school allowed to attend. Mr Poland said they had been poorly organised and led.

"The first two really were a waste of time," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News