Letters: Education reforms need solutions to teaching crisis

The unprecedented number of reviews and reforms in the education sector have generated high levels of excitement and some anxiety.

Most agree that a thorough review of the NCEA and "Tomorrow's Schools" reforms are both necessary and desirable.

The aspirations of these reviews are laudable.

At present, however, the reforms by way of analogy are seeking to build a five-star hotel with little thought given to how they will recruit and train staff for this amazing enterprise.

The current reality for the schooling sector is a chronic shortage of teachers at all levels.

The status of teachers is at a very low ebb with a severe downturn in those wanting to join the teaching profession.

In my opinion, the salaries and working conditions of teachers have eroded over nine years, leading to an exodus of teachers either retiring or going overseas.

Educators have alerted the Ministry Of Education to these issues for well over a decade with little traction.

To be fair, the Labour Government is picking up a hospital pass not of it's making.

Chris Hipkins is a minister with vision, energy and drive. He is on a mission to create a world-leading education system which we all applaud.

But it will not happen without a clear and well-resourced workforce strategy.

The Education Master Plan will not reach its potential unless we are able to recruit the best and brightest students into teaching and keep them there with reasonable salaries and working conditions.

The Ministry of Education needs to more upfront about how it intends to resolve the teaching crisis. Its workforce strategy must take centre stage and be the first item on the agenda. [Abridged]

Patrick Walsh
Principal, John Paul College

Deplorable situation

I was staggered to see the news that sanitary products are not within the price range of many women and girls. This is deplorable!

The tax must be removed from all these items and from all food products. We are not a Third World country, just what is going on?

I would even suggest that the items in question be made available free of charge at certain outlets.

Jim Adams
Rotorua

Naive at least

I was interested to note the mayor's comments on the homeless issue in Rotorua.

it's a pity the council has missed the point as to why people are homeless and on the streets of Rotorua.

Do you not think that these people have not previously been involved with the Ministry of Social Development?

Perhaps the hours of queuing up to make appointments, let alone what is, in my opinion, the hoops and obstacles people have to go through, could explain why they are homeless.

For the mayor to say that MSD is going to wave their magic wand to fix the issue is naive at the very least. [Abridged]

Kingsley Ridings
Rotorua