“We are consulting with people who may be affected by the proposals, and their representatives. Final decisions will not be made until after this process is concluded.”
But NZEI Te Riu Roa representative for Northland and principal at Hukerenui School, Bastienne Johnston, said it is a worrying time for educators.
Johnston said she and other principals have noticed an increasing number of students in recent years with learning needs, such as students with autism or foetal alcohol syndrome.
But despite the obvious need, red tape makes it difficult to access the help these students require, Johnston said.
While the word is that frontline workers will not lose their jobs, she was concerned that meant backing for learning support workers or attendance officers would be impacted, slowing down a system already under pressure.
“We’re already struggling to convince the ministry at times that we need support for a child so a teacher can actually teach.”
She was concerned student wellbeing and achievement would be impacted.
Johnston said it was important to ensure students who require more learning help get support, so they have equal learning opportunities and don’t distract other learners.
“If you’ve got a 5-year-old throwing chairs around a classroom, you cannot teach the classroom, it’s a safety issue.”
She said schools want to provide the best support they possibly can for students with extra needs.
“For us as principals, if we’re not resourced properly in our school, we cannot actually afford to do the job effectively, and it causes a lot of stress. And the roll-on effect of that is stressed teachers.”
She said that was worrying at a time with high turnover of principals in the region.
NZEI Te Riu Roa president Mark Potter was concerned cuts would impact our most vulnerable - including disabled students, as well as Māori and Pasifika.
Potter said cuts to jobs that support frontline learning support staff would be “detrimental to the needs of schools, students and whānau”.
Te Rito Maioha chief executive Kathy Wolfe said cutting human resources would risk the ministry not being able to effectively service the education sector.
“Investment in education, whether it is early childhood, primary or tertiary is vital.
“Removing support staff from education can have an incredibly detrimental effect on early learning, schools, education providers and tamariki, especially if that resource was there to provide assistance to learners that need additional support.
“This will directly affect working teachers and students who may fall behind and opt out of formal education.”
Griffiths said staff at the ministry were being kept updated.
“The ministry understands the change and uncertainty is unsettling and has encouraged staff to seek support where needed.”
Brodie Stone is an education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.
