NZ Data Futures - Data Education in New Zealand

Why are teachers quitting in New Zealand

June 28, 2018June 28, 2018

New Zealand at a very dire crossroads at the moment and it doesn’t seem like the situation is going to improve anytime soon either. Unlike most other developed countries, the biggest issue with New Zealand is that there are very few teachers available to teach the curriculum that is being offered. There are experienced teachers and professors at the top universities, but as we look lower down the pecking order, we find more and more staffing issues. And experts believe that this trend will also impact the best of universities in New Zealand. Education is one of the biggest sectors in the world and is fuelled by a lot of students flocking to colleges abroad. And for a long period of time, NZ looked like the perfect alternative to the west, with the price of education in Australia being too much for a lot of people in the developing world. But that trend looks like it might stop, with more and more staffing issues arising. So why is there such a situation in New Zealand? We are going to deep dive to find out why exactly the beautiful nation is facing such hardships.

The major reason is definitely the curriculum. The curriculum hasn’t been changed in decades and this has left a lot of teachers having to curb creativity in order to ensure that they finish the curriculum. The monotonous nature of the curriculum not only stresses out students, but also teachers. A lot of young teachers feel that they face burnout by the end of a 5-year time period and decide to either pursue further education or move on to an entirely different career path altogether.

The second reason is the lack of funds and the poor pay-scale for a teacher. Teaching is still one of the low-income professions in the country, and one study stated that farming paid more than teaching. The government has sat on educational improvement for far too long, and that is among the major reasons why they are facing such a huge backlash now. The fact of the matter is that not all teachers are going to pay at the same range as the best professors in universities, but for a nation that is trying to push forward the importance of education, it is a sorry sight to see teaching in the low-income bracket.

Large-scale changes need to be done, along with showing educational research its rightful place in the epicentre. But unfortunately for now, there seems to be no steps taken to improve the condition of teachers in New Zealand.

New Zealand Teaching Crisis: A Rant by a fed up teacher

June 28, 2018June 28, 2018

So where does New Zealand go from here? In our previous article, we spoke about the dire situation that had fallen upon New Zealand due to the government literally sitting on its ass when it came to improving the educational standards of the country. Educational standards are basically of two types; one is to improve the learning capabilities of children and young adults, while the other is the condition and environment that teachers are offered. The truth of the matter is that the damage has been happening for decades and the ramifications of those damages are finally coming to light. This article; isn’t like other ones because it is actually a rant by a teacher who loved teaching and inspiring children, but had to quit and move on to a different career because with his pay he wasn’t able to support his own family.

I loved being able to walk into school every day and know that my effort would leave a long-lasting impression on minds that had the capability to change our nation and the world. When I was in school, my teacher inspired me to be like her. She was an astounding woman who got up every morning with the thought of changing someone’s life. Her drive was one of the reasons why I went on to teach after my PhD in Organic Chemistry. But now I am working in a multinational corporation that is paying me big bucks, but I don’t feel complete or whole anymore. I have a young family, and their needs became my priority, in other words maybe I grew up. But the fact of the matter is that I wouldn’t have needed to change my jobs if I had been paid for the work that I did.
Someone once told me that teaching was a thankless job, and I think that they are wrong, every great achiever has always turned back and thanked one of their teachers for inspiring and influencing them the right way. And I wholeheartedly reject the idea that teaching is a thankless job; it is actually a payless job. How can a nation that is striving to reach the top of the world have teaching as a low-income job? The curriculum is stifling, and we are under pressure to stick within the boundaries set by the education board, with little to no room for creativity or adventure. How are we supposed to make a difference, if we can’t even think differently?

Why are teachers quitting in New Zealand

New Zealand Teaching Crisis: A Rant by a fed up teacher

A dozen students physically restrained each day

2017 student enrolments show focus on value

Studying and Living in New Zealand

Studying and Living in New Zealand

2017 student enrolments show focus on value

A dozen students physically restrained each day

New Zealand Teaching Crisis: A Rant by a fed up teacher

Why are teachers quitting in New Zealand

Why are teachers quitting in New Zealand

New Zealand Teaching Crisis: A Rant by a fed up teacher

A dozen students physically restrained each day

2017 student enrolments show focus on value

Studying and Living in New Zealand