Seller’s market’ for teachers amid shortage
This year has been the hardest to recruit teachers for, as the number of suitable applicants continues to dwindle, some schools in the Nelson Tasman region said.
Applicants rejecting offers, and a “huge” workload from employing teachers from overseas were among growing problems, principals said.
Acting principal at Nayland College, Hannah Banks, said while the high school had filled all but one of its vacancies listed last year, the number of “quality” applicants had plunged.
“Two or three years ago if we advertised positions here, we would have been really assured of having over 10, 10 to 20 sometimes … suitably qualified applicants.”
Now the school often had only two or three, she said.
Over 350 full time school positions were listed on the Education Gazette on Thursday, including 13 principal or deputy principal positions in Canterbury heading into the new school year.
Nelson and Tasman District had nine vacancies for school staff, but principals were no less apprehensive than elsewhere – with shortages of maths, science and technology teachers in particular, reported worldwide.
“We had a science vacancy quite late in the year,” Banks said.
“But we just happened to have picked up a returning teacher … a young teacher who worked with us a year or two ago [who] left us to go on an OE.
“So there’s been a few lucky, happy accidents like that, that have pretty well saved us.”
Motueka High School principal John Prestidge said his school was also lucky. It was fully staffed, with no “shock resignations” over summer, he said.
But applicants had been taking longer to accept job offers, or would suddenly withdraw, Prestidge said.
“A few years ago, you’d make an offer of appointment and you’d be pretty much 100% sure that person would be accepting that role.
“Now there’s quite a waiting game as they figure out whether they can shift here, or they’ve got applications in other places … so it’s kind of a seller’s market.”
Nelson College for Girls principal, Claire O’Fee, said the school had employed two teachers from overseas to fill maths vacancies.
It was harder than ever to recruit teachers, with a continual decrease in New Zealand- trained teachers applying, she said.
“English and maths are the biggest concerns.
“We’ve appointed an English teacher for next year who’s amazing and experienced, but she was literally the only New Zealand-based applicant.”
Employing overseas teachers involved “a huge amount of work” – supporting them through the immigration and visa process, and helping them understand the New Zealand school system once here, O’Fee said
It was also a “bit chicken and egg in terms of hiring”, she said.
“You can’t get your visa without a signed offer.
“If you appoint that person from overseas and then for whatever reason, their visa doesn’t come through, then you’re back to square one.”
Education Minister Erica Stanford this week said part of the reason for the shortage was that the curriculum, support and resource “has been rubbish”. The last Budget focused on getting resources into classrooms, and writing the new curriculum, she said.
O’Fee said ensuring the school system was more stable and not vulnerable to changing governments would help make teaching an enticing career for young people.
“There’s been so much change in education that has been poorly implemented.”
Hugh Gully, who retired last year as Collingwood Area School principal, said it was concerning there also appeared to be a nationwide shortage of principals.
He served as a principal there and elsewhere for 25 years and said it was a fulfilling career.
“It’s invigorating, it’s exciting. It’s certainly challenging, but it’s exceptionally rewarding.”
The school’s board of trustees was re-advertising for his replacement.
Presiding board member Brendan Richards said the they first advertised the principal position six months ago.
“We did have strong applicants for our vacancy, however on investigation, the appointments committee was unanimous that none of the applicants were the right fit for our kura.
“We are very confident in securing a strong principal appointment soon for a Term 3 start date 2025.”
By Katy Jones, Nelson Mail
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