Will overseas teachers help the workforce shortfall in education?

<h2><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">In December of last year&comma; primary teachers were added to the &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;green” pathway for residence into Aotearoa New Zealand&period; <&sol;span><&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Although the move acknowledges the shortfall facing the primary education sector&comma; some believe the announcement doesn’t go far enough to address the myriad of issues that primary educators are raising&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Read the latest edition of<em> School News<&sol;em> magazine <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;latest-print-issue&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener">HERE<&sol;a><&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Last year&comma; teachers&comma; principals and early childhood educators of NZEI Te Riu Roa union members overwhelmingly rejected government offers&period; Claims included pay increases to combat rising costs of living&comma; and workload controls&period; Across the sector&comma; concerns were raised that inadequate offers from the government would lead to poor workforce retention&comma; exacerbating understaffing issues&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Last year&&num;8217&semi;s NZEI Te Riu Roa President&comma; Liam Rutherford&comma; said that given these existing issues&comma; making it easier for overseas primary teachers to gain residency may not make up the shortfall&period; In a press release&comma; Rutherford said the union would like to see &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;a more comprehensive plan to grow and retain the workforce of teachers in Aotearoa&comma; and ensure that all tamariki receive the education they deserve&period;” <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Rutherford said that &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;while we welcome this &lbrack;announcement&rsqb; as a positive step&comma; the Government should be looking at the reasons why they have to implement such a policy in the first place&period;” <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">There was also concern that any overseas teachers would require support to adjust to their roles in Aotearoa&comma; New Zealand&period; Without external structural support&comma; the burden of care for new staff may fall on long-serving local teachers already stretched thin&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">To address the issues of the primary education sector&comma; Rutherford pointed to the P&umacr;aotanga report&comma; stating the government should look to those recommendations rather than simply using overseas teachers as a stopgap&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The report&comma; which came after an independent review commissioned by NZEI Te Riu Roa&comma; found staffing entitlement settings were not fit for purpose&comma; and &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;has not kept up with the needs created by changes in society&comma; education and schools&period;” <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The recommendations outlined include increased staffing entitlements for support staff such as teacher aides&comma; counsellors&comma; special educational needs coordinators&comma; increased management staff&comma; specialist ESOL support&comma; increased release time&comma; improved teacher&colon;student ratios&comma; and more&period; The report can be found in full on the <&sol;span><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;campaigns&period;nzei&period;org&period;nz&sol;puaotanga&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank"><span data-contrast&equals;"none">NZEI Te Riu Roa website<&sol;span><&sol;a><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;