NZ’s largest teachers’ union taking Government to court over resource teacher cuts

Education Minister Erica Stanford announced consultation on reallocating funding for literacy and Māori resource teachers. The NZEI Te Riu Roa claims she had already decided to cut the services. Photo / Mark Mitchell

New Zealand’s largest teachers’ union is taking the Government to court over recent changes to funding for resource teachers.

Resource teachers work alongside teachers to help students with learning and behaviour difficulties.

The latest Budget, in May, confirmed cuts to some resource teacher services.

NZEI Te Riu Roa claims Education Minister Erica Stanford had already decided to scrap the services before announcing consultation on reallocating funding for literacy and Māori resource teachers.

The union said it had filed for a judicial review in the High Court at Wellington this morning.

A judicial review asks for a judge to review an action or a decision that has been made under a legal power. The judge must consider whether the way the decision was made was in line with the law.

NZEI Te Riu Roa president Ripeka Lessels, a former resource teacher of Māori, said the teachers and their colleagues were heartbroken over what had happened.

New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa president Ripeka Lessels. Photo / NZEI

“I find it very hard to understand why you would cut the numbers of frontline Māori education roles or specialist literacy roles when the Government says it is prioritising literacy.”

“I look forward to seeing whether the court believes the consultation with these teachers was fair and genuine, whether the decision was pre-determined, and whether the Government has upheld its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”

Stanford’s office said the minister would not be commenting on a matter before the courts.

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.