Teachers under 'enormous pressure' from NCEA, admits Mallard

9.30am

Education Minister Trevor Mallard says he may ask for more money to settle secondary school teachers' pay claim.

Following an overwhelming rejection by teachers of the government's latest offer yesterday, Mr Mallard told National Radio this morning that, if necessary, he would ask for more money.

"What I've indicated very clearly is we'll have a look at the claim. We'll see if there's any way of reprioritising money. If necessary -- in order to get this settled at a fair rate -- I'll go back to my cabinet colleagues for more.

"But that's a little way away yet, because I haven't seen the claim."

He said discussions between the Ministry of Education and the union, the Post Primary Teachers Association, would focus on looking at rolling over the teacher's expired contract until a new one could be settled.

A request for more money would not be made until the PPTA had come back from consultation with members, which was expected to take two weeks, Mr Mallard said.

"...you don't go back to cabinet colleagues asking for a blank cheque. If anyone did that with a household budget they'd be shot."

Yesterday the union made it clear the government needed to raise its offer before teachers would settle.

The offer rejected yesterday was for a 5.5 per cent pay rise and a $3500 bonus for implementing the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), both to be paid over three years.

Today Mr Mallard said he accepted that implementing the new National Certificate had been more difficult than predicted.

"I do accept that it is putting enormous pressure on to teachers for a variety of reasons.

"I didn't go into it knowing it would put as much pressure on as it is. And I think there are certainly some training issues involved in that."

He said the number of assessments needed to be "reduced drastically".

Meanwhile the Schools Trustees Association president Chris France is urging both parties to settle.

The latest government pay offer was rejected by almost 75 per cent of the teachers who voted on it -- much higher than the 56 per cent who rejected an earlier, lower offer.

Mr France described the failure of the second ratification attempt as "very serious", and said urgent and constructive action was needed from all the involved parties.

"What we need now is extremely careful and level-headed action by teachers and Government in the weeks ahead if a reasonable solution is to be found," he said in a statement.

Yesterday the PPTA indicated further industrial action was likely. Measures are likely to include rolling stoppages -- sending different year groups home on specified days -- plus bans on work on the new national certificate of educational achievement, extra-curricular activities and day relief.

The union is also considering asking teachers to cancel level two of the NCEA.

- NZPA